Former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha believes Team India will need to play with one extra batsman in Brisbane. The visitors have played the last two Test matches with five bowlers and the strategy had worked well on both occasions.
In the second Test match, Umesh Yadav bowled only 3.3 overs in the second innings before getting injured whereas Ravindra Jadeja could not take the field in the second innings of the third Test match.
However, Gabba is well known for its extra bounce and India will want an extra batsman in their line-up. Furthermore, India’s best bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin are doubtful for the fourth Test match and it will be interesting to note India’s playing combination. India will reveal their playing XI at the toss depending on the fitness of their players.
Moreover, Ravindra Jadeja and Hanuma Vihari have been ruled out of the fourth Test match. It is expected that Wriddhiman Saha can play as a wicket-keeper whereas Rishabh Pant can play purely as a batsman. Mayank Agarwal can also come into the final XI if he achieves his match fitness.
“I think Mayank will get a look in and maybe someone like Wriddhiman Saha should come in. So only for this Test, at the present, maybe Wriddhiman can keep the wickets and Pant can play like a batsman, and then Mayank comes in. I think that is what it will be,” Pragyan Ojha said while talking to Sportskeeda.
“So I think that will be the setup and we will go in with one extra batsman. Because I think that wicket will be something that needs one extra batsman,” he added.
It is also reported that either Kuldeep Yadav or Washington Sundar can come into the final XI if Ravichandran Ashwin fails to recover from the back pain. However, Ojha feels India must play with a solitary spinner.
“We are playing in Gabba so I don’t think it will have too much assistance for the spinners. So I think we have got three seamers and one all-rounder in Ashwin,” he further added.
India will have their work cut out against Australia as the tourists have been hampered by a plethora of injuries. It will be a heroic effort from the Indian team if they can go on to win at Brisbane.
The decider of the series will begin from January 15.
