BCCI announced the Indian team for last two test matches against England as out of favoured Murali Vijay and Kuldeep Yadav were dropped from the team. Domestic cricket heavyweight and Andhra captain Hanuma Vihari was included in the team alongside a young Prithvi Shaw, who has instrumental with Mumbai in the domestic cricket.
It can probably be the last time when we may be watching Murali Vijay play for India. He had not played to the reputation he was known two years ago and his recent form was questioned after he managed just 26 runs in four innings of starting two test matches. Shaw will replace him who was part of India “A” squad that toured England recently.
Lot was expected from Uttar Pradesh chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav but some opposing situations and conditions made him look totally off-colour at Lords that added to his agony of not being ready for red ball cricket as yet. He will be replaced by Hanuma Vihari who has been in supreme form with the bat for Andhra in the 2017-18 Ranji season with 752 runs in 10 innings. The Andhra skipper can also come handy with his off-break bowling.
The fourth Test will be played from August 30 at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. For the final test the proceedings will shift to London again but this time to The Oval from September 7 to September 11 before its curtains to a gruelling England tour.
Their chances in the squad
There are questions on weather the two former U19 players will be tested in any of the test, but it looks more than uncertain that Kohli will be making any changes to the winning combination for the decisive test matches. If Shikhar fails in the next test then there can be a good chance for Shaw to make his debut in 5th test, but there seems to be no place in the middle order to fit Vihari as of now.
Squad: Virat Kohli (C), Dhawan, Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Pujara, Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ashwin, Jadeja, Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Shami, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Karun Nair, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hanuma Vihari
