Former cricketer Ravi Shastri feels throwing Akash Deep into the mix for the Adelaide Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series will offer a different attacking option to India against Australia. On Friday, the touring party will step inside Adelaide Stadium, a venue where one of the darkest chapters in the history of Indian cricket was written. Four years ago, India folded on 36/9, their lowest total in the history of Test cricket. Harshit Rana made waves in his Test debut for India in Perth against a deadly Australian batting line-up. After India bundled out on 150, Harshit teamed with Mohammed Siraj to offer the ideal backup to pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. In the first innings, Harshit delivered by returning with figures of 3/48 in a 15.2-over spell. However, it was in the second spell that he started to fade away as the Perth Test strip turned placid while still offering bounce.
He leaked runs throughout the innings and managed to bag the sole scalp of Alex Carey, which turned out to be the final wicket of the opening Test.
But the second Test won’t be played under usual conditions. The Indian team will find itself in unfamiliar territory while playing with the pink ball.
Shastri feels Akash’s inclusion will offer seam and swing, which would make him better suited for the conditions.
“The only thing that you must remember, is this is a pink-ball Test. I know Harshit Rana did very well in that Test match, but the pink ball with extra lacquer, it’s a little harder and might seam around a bit and swing. [That’s] where I think Akash Deep should be in the mix,” Shastri said on the ICC Review.
Shastri feels after having a look at the pitch, deciding the pace unit would be the ideal option and added, “Now when you reach the ground, you see the conditions, [whether] you opt for extra bounce and pace, that’s your choice. But I’d definitely keep him in that 12 and keep an eye on him.”
Australia squad (for second Test): Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
India squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.