India captain Shubman Gill shared insights on the team's bowling approach ahead of the second Test at Edgbaston. During a media briefing on Tuesday, Gill revealed that India may include an extra spinner instead of a fast bowler. The goal is to take advantage of rough patches on the pitch, especially between the 40th and 60th overs of an innings.
Why India Prefers Two Spinners
Gill explained that as the match progresses, the ball becomes softer after about 40 overs. This reduces its effectiveness for fast bowlers. “I have spoken to some of the players who were part of the 2018-19 series and they said the balls were slightly different in that series,” Gill said, according to PTI.
He added, “Usually we don’t see two spinners in England but given the conditions in Leeds we thought having an extra spinner would have been good. I think on these conditions having a second spinner will be helpful. If the conditions are same, having a second spinner would be good.”
Referring to the loss in the previous match at Leeds, Gill said India might have done better with another spinner. “In the previous match, if we had had an extra spinner in the fourth innings, the game could have been better,” he said. “There were some patches in the wicket that could have been exploited. Whenever Jaddu [Ravindra Jadeja] bhai was bowling, chances were being created,” he added.
Spinners Can Control Runs
Gill pointed out that spinners can manage the game better in the middle overs. “We also feel that it is easier for spinners to contain runs than fast bowlers, especially when the ball gets old,” he said. However, he also admitted that missed chances made things harder. “If you don’t take wickets, it becomes very difficult. We bowled well but dropped a few catches too. It’s not easy when you are constantly dropping catches,” Gill said.
Team Selection Still Pending
India will finalize the second spinner based on the pitch inspection. Both Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar are being considered, as India’s assistant coach confirmed earlier. Gill echoed this and said the team will decide after evaluating the pitch conditions.
Bumrah’s Availability
Gill also updated on Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness. He said Bumrah is available for selection. However, the final call will be made just before the match begins, depending on the conditions.