You would want England to be confused when they are picking their XI: Zaheer Khan on Rajkot pitch

With the five-match series level at 1-1, India take on England in the third Test starting in Rajkot from Thursday. JioCinema and Sports18 experts Zaheer Khan and Owais Shah spoke about what fans can look forward to in the contest.

Excerpts:

Zaheer Khan on who Ravindra Jadeja will replace: “That’s another headache once you have picked the squad! Whether it’s going to be Axar (Patel), whether it’s going to be Kuldeep (Yadav) or you are going to pick all of them. This is something India will be thinking about, whether you need that extra bowler along with Jasprit (Bumrah). It will also depend on how the pitch is going to play, so some complex decision making will be involved. But there’s a lot to think about for the decision makers.”

Zaheer Khan on the type of pitch to expect: “I hope the pitch is on similar lines to the one in Hyderabad and Vizag. On that kind of a surface, we should be able to see a good contest between bat and ball for the first two days and spin comes into play on the third day. You’ll see some reverse swing as well. And on the fourth and fifth days, you’ll have the spinners dominating. If that is the pattern, it will make for a nice viewing experience for all the spectators and the fans will enjoy. England are up for that kind of a challenge, and you would want England to be debating four spin options or two seam options. You would want England to be confused when they are taking those decisions.”

Also read: IND vs ENG: Picture of flat Rajkot pitch surfaces a day before third Test

Owais Shah on England’s Bumrah challenge: “The big match-up will be between Jasprit Bumrah and England’s middle-order. That’s because Bumrah will be able to generate reverse swing in Rajkot. When he bowls with the old ball, it becomes difficult for the England batters. That’s because he’s getting wickets and also not giving away runs.”