Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar may make side

BIRMINGHAM: A lack of depth in the batting order was pointed out as one of the reasons for the unsuccessful chase against England and India could plug the loophole by bringing in Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar when they meet Bangladesh here on Tuesday. Kedar Jadhav and Yuzvendra Chahal may have to sit out.

India batting coach Sanjay Bangar believes the middle-order took fewer risks because of the long tail. “If you don’t have major contributions from the middle-order then someone like Bhuvneshwar lower down becomes really important. Anyone who is handy at number eight, and it could be Jadeja, gives you some freedom. It takes the pressure off those batting at six and seven so that they can start going at the bowling a little earlier,” he said.

“I think after the England game, the management team will be more open to various combinations. We are open to all combinations. Three seamers can play, with Hardik (Pandya) as the fourth seamer, or we can look at Ravindra Jadeja coming in. From that point of view, it is a tactic we are thinking about,” he added.
Bhuvneshwar has not played since suffering a muscle injury against Pakistan two weeks ago, with Mohammed Shami coming into the side and cementing his place with 13 wickets in three games, while Jadeja — a spinner who boasts 10 ODI fifties — has yet to feature at the tournament.

India’s spin twins, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep, had 14 wickets between them before arriving in Birmingham but England’s openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow milked them for 160 runs. Bangar believes the spinners will come back stronger.

“We know the wicket well,” Bangar said.