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In a setback for the Indian cricket team, they faced an unexpected 28-run defeat in the opening Test of the five-match series against England, despite holding a substantial lead of 190 runs after the first innings.
The absence of key players like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja in the second Test has further compounded the team’s challenges.
To strengthen the squad, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made strategic additions, including Sarfaraz Khan, Saurabh Kumar and Washington Sundar.
Harbhajan Singh pinpoints Team India’s batting weakness
In the mean time, veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has issued a warning to the Rohit Sharma-led Team India ahead of the Vizag Test, stating from Friday (February 2).
Analyzing India’s current batting composition, Harbhajan highlighted that after Rohit, Ravichandran Ashwin stands as the second-highest run-scorer for the home team. Without explicitly naming players, he indirectly criticized the batting performances of individuals like Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer on his YouTube Channel.
“The team seems alright, but it’s lacking in experience. Sure, there’s Rohit Sharma, but after him, the next highest run-scorer is Ashwin. The batting lineup appears to be on the weaker side,” Bhajji remarked.
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Bhajji fears CWC 2024 final repeat in Vizag
He also cautioned India against preparing a turning track, drawing parallels to the 2023 ODI World Cup final where their pitch strategy backfired.
Expressing concern, the ex-India cricketer stated, “I worry that India might suffer a loss similar to the one in the World Cup final if they prepare a turning pitch against England. The batting lineup is young and requires time to develop. However, if they play on a good track, they might show promising performances.”
