Chasing a target of 193 runs at Lord's, India were reeling at 82 for seven wickets. At one point, it looked like the Indian team was going to lose by a huge margin. But Ravindra Jadeja raised hopes of a miraculous victory by putting on a 91-ball 30 for the eighth wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy, a 132-ball 35 for the ninth wicket with Jasprit Bumrah, and a 23-run stand for the last wicket with Siraj. However, in the end, Jaddu could not save the team from defeat.
Now, after falling 1-2 behind in the five-match series, the Indian team management and head coach Gautam Gambhir have several concerns. Gambhir will have to find answers to three questions before the fourth Test, starting July 23 at Old Trafford in Manchester. Gill and Gambhir will now have to make every decision very carefully, because a loss in the next match means losing the series.
1. Will Bumrah be rested? So who will be played?
Jasprit Bumrah, the world's number one Test bowler, is likely to be rested for the fourth Test. It was earlier indicated that he will play all three Tests in England. Since he has already played two matches, he is likely to be rested in Manchester and kept fit for the Oval Test. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh could make his Test debut in his place.
2. Rishabh Pant's injury a big concern, will Dhruva Jurel get a chance?
Rishabh Pant injured his finger on the first day of the Lord's Test, due to which he was not seen keeping the entire match. He only kept 34 overs in the first innings. There is no official statement on his fitness yet, but if he is ruled out of the fourth Test, Dhruv Jurel could take over the wicketkeeping duties.
3. How long will Gambhir play Karun Nair?
Karun Nair's place has been questioned after his poor performance in the third Test. He has failed to score runs so far in this series. This could give Sai Sudarshan, who played in the first Test and was later dropped, another chance. Sudarshan's patience and technique could prove useful on foreign pitches.
Finding the answers to these three questions is Gautam Gambhir's biggest challenge now. His decisions and team strategy in the Manchester Test, starting on July 23, will determine whether India can turn the series around or not.
