While Akash Deep’s absence disrupts the bowling attack, a reworked bowling combination could provide India with the edge they need.
India’s campaign in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy faces a significant blow as a report in The Indian Express report states that frontline pacer Akash Deep set to miss the crucial fifth Test in Sydney due to persistent back issues. The seamer’s absence adds to the team’s selection dilemmas as they fight to retain the trophy in a tightly contested series.
Akash Deep has been a cornerstone of India’s bowling attack throughout the series, providing crucial breakthroughs with his ability to swing the ball both ways. However, concerns over his fitness surfaced during the Melbourne Test, where the pacer appeared to struggle with his rhythm and pace in the latter stages.
Medical scans reportedly revealed a back strain, prompting the team management to rest him for the final Test to avoid aggravating the injury.
With Akash Deep set to be ruled out, India’s think-tank faces a dilemma in rebalancing the bowling attack. Harshit Rana, who made his debut in Perth, is likely to step in. Rana’s performances have shown promise, but questions remain about his readiness to shoulder the burden of a high-stakes Test, especially after a lackluster outing in Adelaide where he struggled with consistency.
Alternatively, India could opt for Prasidh Krishna, a specialist seamer known for his ability to extract bounce on hard tracks. While the SCG pitch traditionally aids spinners, the overcast conditions and rain forecast may compel the team to prioritize a three-seamer strategy. In that case, one of the all-rounders, possibly Ravindra Jadeja or Washington Sundar, might make way for Prasidh.
India’s selection choices have been under the microscope throughout the series, starting with the surprising decision to field Washington Sundar over Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in Perth. The trend of unconventional team combinations continued in Melbourne, where three all-rounders were picked at the expense of specialist batters and bowlers, leading to the lack of a strong bowling attack.
The SCG Test presents another test of India’s tactical acumen. While Akash Deep’s absence disrupts the bowling attack, a reworked bowling combination could provide India with the edge they need. With the series poised at 2-2, the stakes could not be higher.
