Lots of gains for India on Caribbean sojourn before sterner tests ahead
Yashasvi Jaiswal presented a heady cocktail of patience and flair on debut but India's expected series win over West Indies will not serve as an accurate parameter to judge where the team stands five months before its next assignment in South Africa.
The two-Test series was more like a banana peel where a slip-up would come as a big setback for skipper Rohit Sharma, who can be pleased with his leadership as well as individual batting form with a century and two fifty plus scores over the two games.
The runs scored by Rohit (240 in 3 innings) and Virat Kohli (197 in 2 innings) will help the celebrated duo be in a good frame of mind as they shift gears and get into the World Cup mode with the ODI series starting in 48 hours.
However, the distinct lack of quality in current West Indies side will make die-hard fans temper their expectations and wait for India's first-ever two-match Test series (earlier it was a minimum 3-match series since 1992) in the 'Rainbow Nation'.
An attack comprising Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi on spicier South African tracks will be a completely different proposition compared to facing Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph and Shannon Gabriel on benign tracks where surviving wasn't the most difficult job if one had patience.
Jaiswal grooves to Calypso beats:
And in this context, Jaiswal does come out with flying colours and is set to get a lengthy run at the top.
What was the most heartening aspect of young southpaw's batting was his seamless transition from defence to attack that one got to witness during the two Tests.
Playing 387 balls on Test debut and knowing where your off-stump was a laudable effort as he grounded a tired bowling attack with elan. He played a diametrically opposite innings of 38 off 30 balls in the second innings of the second Test, effortlessly switching gears as per team needs.
All the signs of greatness -- technique, temperament and being a team player were on view and this augurs well for the Indian team.
Obviously, he will face way more tougher tests between December 2023 to January 2025 in which India will face South Africa (away), England and New Zealand (home) and Australia (away). He will get both -- tracks with disconcerting bounce and closer home some raging turners that tests the best.
Rahane fluffs his lines, Unadkat might have played his last Test:
Ajinkya Rahane must have surprised himself when he got back vice-captaincy for the West Indies tour on the back of his 89 in World Test Championship final at the Oval.
However the twin failures in Windies -- one because of slowness of the track and the other by pace doesn't hold him in good stead considering that Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul will be vying for that same middle-order slot after regaining full fitness.
In case of Jaydev Unadkat, it is understood that he will be carried till the World Cup if he can slip in some decent performances as a left-arm option in the upcoming white ball games. With Arshdeep Singh being sent to Asian Games that overlaps with World Cup, Unadkat literally has no competition.
But beyond World Cup, it is hard to imagine the medium pacer being in scheme of things, especially after two wicketless Tests in Caribbean.
Mukesh provides options:
Mukesh Kumar is a battle-hardened domestic veteran, who toiled for a good seven years before enjoying his hour of glory under the sun.
Few months shy of 30, it is still not clear if Mukesh could be looked at as a long-term investment but if he is around for this cycle of World Test Championship (till 2025), he would have done a remarkable job.
He makes up for his lack of pace with incisive cutters and could be an ideal third pacer.
It is beyond doubt that Jasprit Bumrah won't be an all-format player going forward and Mohammed Shami is not getting any younger. Mohammed Siraj on flat deck has again proved that he is a diamond that needs to be kept in a safe house and not get overworked.
In this scheme of things, Mukesh could just be like Munaf Patel of 2008-11, who curtailed his pace and was an ideal third seamer across two formats, bowling that nagging length and probing line.
Ishan Kishan to keep wickets till Pant is back:
Kona Bharat got five Tests and blew it away with inept batting performances despite a decent body of glove-work. To be fair to Bharat, save Ahmedabad, all three tracks during Australia series were difficult for batting and in England, he didn't have the necessary technique to cope with seam and swing.
Ishan Kishan got better batting conditions in the Caribbean. The fifty that Bharat didn't score on a Motera belter and the Jharkhand left-hander got during a second innings declaration in Port of Spain has sealed the debate for now.
Kishan, with his technique against the short ball, might not find it easy in South Africa but one would expect Rishabh Pant to be match-fit by then.