Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly believes Prithvi Shaw and Hanuma Vihari should be included in the playing XI for the fifth Test at the Oval. Indian top order isn’t in the best of form. Consequently, it will make sense to give Prithvi Shaw his maiden Test cap.
Shaw had done well on the recently concluded India A tour of England. Thus, he knows the English conditions. The 18-year old prodigy has shown great promise to be the future of Indian cricket. Subsequently, it would be the right time for the team management to give him his maiden match.
Prithvi Shaw in place of KL Rahul or Shikhar Dhawan.
“The Oval is a different pitch, it will have a lot of bounce but it is important for Virat to assess how much rough will be created. What Virat needs to have a look at is his team’s batting. It is important to have a change at the top and give Prithvi Shaw a go,” Ganguly wrote in his column for TOI.
The Indian openers have been short of runs excluding the Trent Bridge Test. Therefore, Sourav Ganguly believes it would make sense to alter the top order.
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“He is young, not battle-scarred, and had a good India ‘A’ tour of England. Both KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan are not in the best of form and it will not be a bad idea to have a change at the top,” he added.
Hanuma Vihari in place of Hardik Pandya.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli has always gone with five bowlers strategy. However, the Prince of Kolkata believes it would be interesting if the think thank goes with a four bowlers policy and see how it goes. Consequently, Hardik Pandya will have to make way for Hanuma Vihari.
“I am a big believer of playing five bowlers and the Indian bowling unit has been exceptional this series. However, maybe Virat can think about a four-bowler option to see how the bowling unit reacts to such situations and whether this could be a possibility in the future. A lot of good teams in world cricket have succeeded with this formula. It will also give Hanuma Vihari an opportunity. Good things have been said about him of late and this will also help to strengthen the squad’s batting depth,” Sourav Ganguly opined.
With the series done and dusted, the visitors might want to alter their playing XI combination. The fifth and final Test match will begin today (7th September) at the Kennington Oval, London.