Akash Deep made the cut in the Indian XI for the second Test of the series against New Zealand. His absence in the first Test of the series raised a lot of eyebrows, especially because of the fact that the overcast conditions in Bengaluru were regarded as tailor-made conditions for him to bowl. Mohammad Siraj’s performance in the Test didn’t help him either.
Rohit and the Indian management did not repeat the mistake they committed in the first Test. Akash was brought back into the side at the cost of Siraj. The decision has received mixed opinions from the fans especially after Deep failed to do well in the first innings against New Zealand in the Pune Test. Here are the three reasons why he returned to the side.
Mohammad Siraj’s performance in the first Test
Mohammad Siraj bowled in the overcast conditions of Bengaluru in the first Test. Given the fact that Akash Deep didn’t get a chance, there were huge expectations from his bowling. But Siraj did not live up to it. In both the innings of the match, he often operated with mediocre line and length. His bowling numbers weren’t great either.
In the first innings, Siraj bowled 18 overs and conceded a whopping 84 runs at an economy rate of 4.67. While he claimed 2 maiden overs and a couple of wickets, it was not enough for the side. Defending 107 runs, one would expect a bowler like Siraj to claim wickets. But he could not in the seven bowlers he bowled. Hence, Deep made a case for himself.
Current form
Mohammad Siraj has bowled more than Deep. However, he does not have better numbers than the Bengal player. The star bowler has bowled in 16 innings to claim 19 wickets at a bowling average of 29.47, and at a bowling SR of 47.48. His best bowling figures of 6/15 came in South Africa earlier this year, which was very good for the seamers.
On the other hand, Akash has bowled in 6 innings and claimed 8 wickets for his name at a bowling average of 28.25, and at a bowling SR of 44.25. Not to forget, he is more useful as a batter than Siraj. As Deep took wickets in less number of balls than Siraj, he got a nod ahead of the fairly experienced bowler in the second Test in Pune.
Rotation policy
The main reason behind Deep replacing Siraj was due to the rotation policy. Indian team, like most other teams, rotates its pacers to try and get them at their best form as much as possible. Hence, there was an attempt to do the same with Deep in the first Test. He was rested and replaced with a spinner in the side. Siraj made the cut as the second pacer.
In the second Test, Akash directly replaced Siraj. It is also a part of the rotation policy given the fact that India will be playing Australia in a long tour in the next few weeks. To ensure minimum workload management, Deep got a chance to play in the second Test. Siraj was given rest ahead of the big tour of Australia.
Disclaimer: This exclusive news is based on the author’s insights, analysis, and intuition. While reviewing this information, consider the points discussed and form your own conclusions.
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