India will need to show a lot of heart, to bounce back in a series that they are currently trailing by a game, when they take on England in the second Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on Friday, July 29. The defeat at Lord’s, a huge, nerve wracking loss, will need to forgotten and they need to focus on the task at hand.
The situation on Zaheer Khan is not yet clear. The premium fast bowler has not bowled, even in the nets, after that fateful first day at Lord’s and has concentrated on getting his hamstring right. The message from the Indian team on this has been blurred and it has managed to confuse one and all. Virendar Sehwag is also not likely to feature and the Indians will have to make do with Abhinav Mukund, who does not seem to have any illusions about replacing Sehwag.
However, he has already impressed many greats like Ian Bishop and Michael Holding and has a huge role to play in this game. India have relied on good opening partnerships in the past to win games in England. If it was Sanjay Bangar and Rahul Dravid in 2002, then it was Dinesh Karthik and Wasim Jaffer in 2007. Mukund and Gautam Gambhir will need to get a good start at Trent Bridge to drive the memories of Lord’s away and to give solidarity to the Indian batting that looked very weak in the last game.
Sreedharan Sreesanth is likely to come in if Zaheer is not risked, and will need to forget his antics and focus on his cricket. Harbhajan Singh, too, will need to be a lot better in this game. His last man of the match in Tests, for his bowling, was in 2005 and he was abysmal in the last game. He did not turn the ball and the persistence with an around the wicket line shows that he lacks confidence.
England will be wary of an Indian counter attack. The Indians have not started well in England in the last two series but have bounced back impressively in both. The conditions will once again suit England, but barring another misfortune, they will be facing four main bowlers rather than the three that they easily overcame at Lord’s.
This is India’s chance to show why they are on top of the ICC rankings. A good start is crucial and they have to control on the first day.