VVS Laxman picks his two Indian spinners for the Lord's Test

He wants Hardik Pandya to make way for a spinner.

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VVS Laxman
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VVS Laxman. (Photo Source: Twitter)

The second Test is the best chance for the Indian team to make a comeback in the Test series and draw it levels 1-1. Lord’s brings happy memories for the visitors as they won their only Test match on the tour last time in 2014. Ahead of the start of the game, a big question is what kind of bowling attack should they opt for. While they went in with four bowlers and Hardik Pandya at Edgbaston, VVS Laxman is of the opinion that they need to change it this time around.

He feels the need for India to play to their strength and field two spinners. Despite having Hardik in the line-up last time, skipper Virat Kohli used him for just 10 overs in the first innings and he scored 50 odd runs combined in the Test match. Laxman thus believes a spinner will make it a robust bowling attack with five specialists.

In case they opt for two spinners there is a toss-up between chinaman Kuldeep Yadav and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja. Since Jadeja has the ability to contribute with the bat lower down the order and did well here last time Laxman will want to give him preference. He admitted that picking Kuldeep is a more attacking option but since the batting failed in the 1st Test, they have to focus on adding depth.

Jadeja for Pandya

“I will go for an extra spinner and go in with five bowlers and not play Hardik Pandya and probably have (Ravindra) Jadeja there. It was a tough call between Jadeja or Kuldeep (Yadav). But because the Indian batsmen struggled in the first Test and overly dependent on Virat Kohli,” Laxman said while talking on ESPNcricinfo.

“If they would’ve got a big score in the first match I would’ve probably gone in with the aggressive option which is Kuldeep. Now it is a like for like swap. Jadeja having fond memories from what he did at Lord’s last time, can bat and then with Jadeja in the squad you also have depth in the squad,” the former Indian cricketer added.

The bowling will thus comprise of three pacers who played the previous Test along with the spin-twin Ashwin and Jadeja.

“Three quality fast bowlers – Umesh (Yadav) will hopefully get his rhythm right in this Test match. So Umesh, Ishant (Sharma) and (Mohammed) Shami and then you got two spinners in (Ravichandran) Ashwin and Jadeja,” VVS concluded.

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