With India’s Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar and Avesh Khan ruled out of the five match Test series in England commencing on the 4th of August, the tourists have undoubtedly lost some real talent. Gill appears to be the real deal as a Test opener, with a flawless technique and an ability to play shots that contrasts dramatically to England’s obdurate opening pair of Burns and Sibley.
Sundar, who has threatened to emerge from Ashwin’s sizeable shadow as an off-spinner, is arguably even better with the bat, having made vital runs in Australia and at home earlier this year against England. The uncapped Avesh Khan has impressed perhaps most famously in the IPL for RCB and the Delhi Capitals.
But with Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav stepping up as replacements, the recent admiration for India’s unmatched strength in depth is beginning to make sense. With all of the criticism of Shaw’s red-ball credentials in the Indian media, he still averages 42 from nine innings, a number many of England’s batsmen would do questionable things to reach. Yadav’s knock of 57 in the fourth T20 against England in March displayed all of his fluid class.
As what could prove a landmark Test series approaches, England’s boost from India’s misfortune may well prove short-lived.
