Things Getting Easier For India, But It’ll Be A Much Closer Series Than People Think - Aakash Chopra Highlights England's Injury Crisis

Following Stuart Broad’s injury ahead of the Lord’s Test, and India further being earmarked as the favourites to win the series, Aakash Chopra opined that the series would be much closer than people think, despite several key players unavailable in the England camp.

Broad has been ruled out of the remainder of the series after tearing his calf muscle while training a couple of days ahead of the second Test. England have added pacer Saqib Mahmood to their squad for the rest of the series. The loss of Broad, who has the experience of 149 Tests, will further weaken the already depleted England side.

Their fiery speedster Jofra Archer has already been ruled out for the entire year and won’t be available for either the T20 World Cup or the Ashes in Australia following a recurrence of a stress fracture in his right elbow.

Ben Stokes, England’s superstar all-rounder, has taken an indefinite break from cricket to focus on his mental wellbeing, and also to nurse his finger injury.

Chris Woakes is tending to his bruised heel, and isn’t in the squad for the first two Tests. Another seamer in Olly Stone is out for six months after his latest stress fracture, as he himself revealed on the BBC on Tuesday.

Add all this to their out-of-form batting (barring Joe Root) giving India the best chance to win the series.

Aakash Chopra, however, reckons Virat Kohli’s side need to be cautious. He feels although India are firm favorites to win the rubber, the visitors should be wary of the hosts and they are still a good outfit in home conditions.

“First Jofra. Then Stokes pulled out. Now, Broad is injured. And Woakes hasn’t recovered yet. While everything is pointing towards things getting easier for India to clinch the series but I have a strong feeling that it’ll be a much closer series than most people think,” Aakash Chopra tweeted.

First Jofra. Then Stokes pulled out. Now, Broad is injured. And Woakes hasn’t recovered yet. While everything is pointing towards things getting easier for India to clinch the series but I have a strong feeling that it’ll be a much closer series than most people think. #EngvInd

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) August 11, 2021

India pick Ishant Sharma for the Lord’s Test; Ravichandran Ashwin remains ousted

Virat Kohli once again lost the toss on Thursday at Lord’s. Considering the overcast conditions, and the tinge of green on the pitch, Root decided to put India in and unleash his four-man seam – now consisting of Mark Wood for Stuart Broad – on India’s batsmen.

For the Indian team, Ishant Sharma, who was unfit for the first match, replaced Shardul Thakur, who has been ruled out with a myofascial strain on his left hamstring. This meant Ravichandran Ashwin will once again carry the drinks. Virat Kohli revealed that the off-spinner was in the final 12, but couldn’t make the cut in the eleven.

“We announced 12 within the group and Ashwin definitely was part of that. But this makes the most sense for us as a team,” the Indian skipper said. 

Also Read: India vs England 2021: That Was Old-school Tail-end Batting From India – David Lloyd On India’s Lower-order Contribution