New Delhi, June 6 (IANS) Former India opener Aakash Chopra has advocated for playing Jasprit Bumrah in the most challenging conditions during the five-match Test series against England, citing that following this strategy will give the visitors’ a big edge over the hosts’.

Bumrah will not be playing all five Tests on the tour of England, starting on June 20, due to managing his workload, especially after he suffered a back injury during the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney in January this year and was out of action for almost four months.

“It’ll be tempting to play him in tougher conditions—because in difficult situations, you want your best players. You’d want Kohli in a crunch chase; similarly, you want Bumrah in bowler-friendly conditions. The Oval and Birmingham will be trickier.

“The pitches are flatter, and you’ll need very experienced bowlers. The call will come down to how Bumrah’s body is responding. But if it were up to me, I’d play him where the conditions are toughest—because that’s where he gives you the biggest edge,” said Chopra on JioHotstar.

He also feels there is a huge sense of uncertainty around Indian team’s batting and bowling positions, especially after captain Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir said all of this will be decided once they are in England and kickstart their preparations for the series starting in Leeds.

“Right now, there’s a sense of uncertainty, especially during this transition phase. If the playing XI was fully settled, you’d back your first-choice players. But that’s not the case. The top order has questions. No. 3 and No. 4 positions are still not decided. I don’t see Shubman Gill at No. 4.

“These are questions the side games will answer. Then there’s the No. 6 slot. In the first match (England Lions vs India A), Karun Nair batted at No. 3 and did well. But I’m not convinced that’s his spot—No. 6 might suit him better.

“I believe Nitish Kumar Reddy needs to be in the playing XI. Ravindra Jadeja will obviously be one of the spinners. But again, I won’t compromise on my bowling. If I pick Jadeja, Reddy, and Karun, I’m left with only three frontline bowlers—and that’s not enough,” he elaborated.

Chopra further stated what India’s ideal playing eleven would look like in his opinion. “I’d go with Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan as openers. Shubman Gill at 4th and then Rishabh Pant, followed by Nitish Kumar Reddy at No. 6.

“Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur would be my all-rounders. Shardul is more of a bowler who can bat, not a batter who bowls—he’s a genuine bowling option. And then the pace trio: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna.

With the Indian team playing their first series after retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Chopra signed off by saying the Gill-led outfit will experience a different pressure in England, as compared to the previous visiting teams’ from the country.

“Expectations will make the challenge harder. But with a new team, there’s some cushioning. People believe this is a team of youngsters, and with that comes a longer rope. If you expect them to win every time, you’re not being realistic. The pressure is still there—but it’s different from the pressure an experienced team faces, where the only expectation is to win,” he said.

–IANS

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