The selectors have named eight bowlers in the 17-man squad for the first Test of the five-match series against England. The Indian team won the second Test at Lord’s in 2014, but then went on to lose the next three Tests, eventually losing the five-match series 1-3. If India have to win the Test series, they have to pick up 20 wickets in each of the matches consistently.
With Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah still recovering from their injuries, the likes of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav will have to stand up for the team.
Here’s a look at the selected bowlers’ current form.
1. Ishant Sharma
Ishant Sharma, who wasn’t picked by any IPL team this year, travelled to England to play for Sussex in the Specsavers County Championship Division Two tournament. He took 15 wickets in four matches at an average of 23.06. He played six matches in the Royal London One-day Cup, returning with best figures of 3/47 in the competition.
Ishant played his last professional cricket match against Afghanistan, taking four wickets for 45 runs in the Bengaluru Test.
2. Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami was unavailable for selection ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan because he failed the Yo-Yo Test in June, but he made it to the Indian Test squad after passing the Yo-Yo Test earlier this month.
However, the speedster hasn’t played a lot of professional cricket after having a good Test series against South Africa in January. He has played two 50-over matches for India A and four matches for the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL. The 27-year-old picked up three wickets in the IPL at an average of 48.
Shami will have to find a way to get into the groove quickly and play Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s swing bowler’s role to perfection if the latter isn’t fit to play the first Test.
3. Umesh Yadav
Even though the Royal Challengers Bangalore had an yet another forgettable season, Umesh Yadav shone with the ball with 20 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 20.90. The 30-year-old continued his good form in the three-match T20, returning with 5 wickets in the series.
However, in the ODI series, Umesh Yadav experienced a dip in form. He managed three wickets in two matches at an average of 44.33.
4. Shardul Thakur
Shardul Thakur had a decent IPL season for the Kings XI Punjab, picking up 16 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 26.93. After the IPL, Thakur played four 50-over matches for India A, taking 7 wickets in three matches against the England Lions and 1 wicket against West Indies A.
The 26-year-old was the best bowler for India in the third ODI against England, returning with figures of 1/51 in 10 overs.
5. Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin will be certainly looking to change his fortunes when it comes to unfavourable conditions. He had a decent tour of South Africa with 7 wickets in two Tests, but he has got to do much better, if he wants to keep his place in the eleven.
Ashwin picked up 10 wickets in 14 IPL matches, but conceded 410 runs in the competition.
After the IPL, Ashwin played the one-off Test against Afghanistan (5 wickets in the match) and three matches for the Dindigul Dragons in the Tamil Nadu Premier League.
6. Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja had a decent IPL for the Chennai Super Kings, taking 11 wickets at an average of 27.54. Jadeja too has a poor record in unfavourable conditions, and he’ll surely be looking to change his dismal record in England.
In India’s tour of England in 2014, Jadeja picked up 9 wickets in 4 matches at an average of 46.66.
Jadeja’s last professional cricket match was against Afghanistan, where he took 6 wickets for 35 runs.
7. Hardik Pandya
Seaming all-rounder Hardik Pandya had a fantastic IPL with the ball, picking up 18 wickets in 13 matches at average of 21.16. He carried forward his form in the three-match T20I series against England, finishing as the highest wicket-taker in the series. He returned with T20 career best figures of 4/38 in the series-deciding match in Bristol.
However, in the ODI series, Pandya picked up only one wicket in three matches. The all-rounder will be a key bowler in the Test series, in case a front line pacer has an off day.
8. Kuldeep Yadav
Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav has mostly been in top form throughout the limited-overs leg of the ongoing tour of England. He finished as the highest and second highest wicket-taker in ODI and T20 series respectively.
Kuldeep Yadav single-handedly won the first T20I and first ODI with figures of 5/24 and 6/25. However, he was taken to the cleaners in a couple of matches.
Even though the English batsmen seemed to have cracked Kuldeep’s bowling, there are still some who haven’t faced him yet. India could use Kuldeep as their trump card in the first Test.
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