India have not yet announced the playing XI for the first Test of a five-match series against England. For some time now, Team India has been announcing the Playing XI a day before the Test match, but it has not been seen in England. Captain Virat Kohli did not give a straightforward answer to the playing XI Combination in a press conference the day before the match. Meanwhile, former England spinner Monty Panesar has said that Jaspreet Bumrah is a better choice for XI, playing Shardul Thakur. Shardul was a significant contributor to both bat and ball in the Test series against Australia and was instrumental in winning the series.
In the final against New Zealand in the ICC World Test Championships, Bumrah was left with no effect. In his recent home Test series against England, Bumrah was able to take just four wickets in two Tests. Since Bumrah has returned from injury, he has not appeared in his old form, and there is talk of him being dropped from the team in such a situation. Panesar said on the YouTube show ‘Behind the Stumps’,’ Bumrah has to put the ball forward and move the ball a little more in the air. I don’t think his natural length is on the stumps. His natural length is to bowl a short ball fast. In such a situation, I think Shraddul would be a good choice for India, he is batting.
Panesar believes Shardul, an all-rounder, could prove more useful in England’s conditions. “Shardul is a good choice for England’s lower order batsmen because he puts the ball forward. He bowls according to English conditions.
