The build-up for the India-South Africa Test series has started as former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra opined his pick for India’s third seamer for the first test, starting on December 26 at Centurion. Indian pace attack achieved new heights in the past few years and there is a sense of expectations from them as India is chasing their first test series win in the rainbow nation.
In the previous 7 tours to South Africa, India played 20 Test matches but could manage to win only three of them. In the last tour 2017-18, the Indian pace attack made a huge impression as India managed to pick 20 wickets in each of the three tests.
Ashish Nehra weighed in India’s options for the seam attack in the first Test. Former Indian pacer believes that Bumrah and Shami are no-brainer picks but there will be some discussions for the third slot.
However, there is a possibility that India might go with 4 seamers as they did in England earlier this year.
“Look, I feel Bumrah and Shami are the two automatic choices in India’s pace attack. Talking of the third pacer, Mohammed Siraj could be the guy. Ishant was injured and left out of the second Test versus New Zealand, while Siraj did fairly well in that game. It also depends on the team management’s thought process and game plan, and who’s looking sharper at nets,” Nehra told Telegraph India in an interview.
“But the good thing is the number of options India have as far as their pace battery is concerned. They even have someone like Umesh (Yadav), who’s super-experienced now with the number of Test matches (51) he has played so far. So it’s a good situation the team finds itself to be in,” he added further.
India might be tempted to go with Ishant Sharma as the Delhi pacer travelled to South Africa in the previous three tours however his record in the rainbow nation (20 wickets in 7 matches) is pretty average. His recent form isn’t great either as he was wicketless in the Mumbai Test (against New Zealand) and picked only 5 wickets in 2 matches against England in the Pataudi Trophy.
Siraj is a frontrunner to take the third seamer slot as he had an impressive run in overseas tours. In the recent England tour, he picked 8 wickets in the famous win at Lord’s. Umesh Yadav also presented his case stronger with 6 wickets in the Oval Test win against England.
If India goes with 4 seamers, Shardul Thakur will be likely to get the all-rounder’s slot as he played some useful cameos in his short Test career.