Former England pacer Steve Harmison has a warning for Ben Stokes and company against getting complacent in the Test series against India despite the hosts losing a few first-choice players due to injuries. Steve Harmison reckons the replacements that have been brought by the Indian team are fired up and are in good form ahead of the second Test.
While Virat Kohli opted out of the first two Tests of the series citing personal reasons, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja played the opening game but will miss the second due to injuries. As a result, the selectors have called up Sarfaraz Khan, Washington Sundar, and Saurabh Kumar as replacements and now India looks to level the series in Vishakhapatnam.
Steve Harmison believes that England should not get carried away after winning the first Test and also by the fact that India will miss some of the big names in the second Test. KL Rahul complained of pain in his right quadriceps while Ravindra Jadeja suffered a hamstring injury during the fourth day’s play of the first Test which was played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.
“They are bringing in players who played against the England Lions over these last two weeks in two four-day Test matches and are bang in form. As much as the big names are gone, England fans should hold their horses. They are not only in form but are also hungry to perform in the Test arena,” said Steve Harmison.
Steve Harmison Feels KL Rahul Has A Calming Influence On The Indian Team
Steve Harmison said that India will miss KL Rahul’s services as a batter the most, given how well he did in Hyderabad, and highlighted Jadeja’s example, elaborating, “It’s huge for India, 1-0 down with one of the icons of the game (Kohli) missing the first two Test matches and then to lose KL Rahul, he is the calming influence. He was very very calm the way he batted in that Test match when all things were carnage around him,”
“With Jadeja, if I was picking a team around the world to play on any surface, anywhere around the world, my first pick would be Jadeja. He’s an unbelievable talent who can bat, bowl, and field.”
Among the three replacements, Sarafaraz Khan and Saurabh Kumar are uncapped whereas Washington Sundar has made his debut in all three formats for India. Washington Sundar is expected to be the replacement for Ravindra Jadeja in the playing XI as he is also a spin all-rounder. He played his last Test in 2021 against England where he scored 96 and took the wicket of Ben Stokes in Ahmedabad.
The second Test of the five-match series between India and England will be played at Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Vishakhapatnam. India have already lost the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs. The hosts will be hoping to win the second Test and level the series as they have not lost a Test series at home since 2012 when England defeated them by 2-1 in the four-match Test series.
