India consider second spinner for Boxing Day Test

AFP | Melbourne

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

India captain Rohit Sharma was coy yesterday on how his team will line up for the Boxing Day Test against Australia, with the option of a second spinner on the table.

Temperatures are forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on Thursday, and the Melbourne Cricket Ground curator said during the week he expected the pitch to offer plenty for the fast bowlers. But Rohit left the door open to a second spinner.

“Whatever we have to do to make the best possible XI in these conditions, we will do that -- whether that is playing an extra spinner or not,” he said.

With off-spinning allrounder Ravichandran Ashwin announcing his immediate retirement from international cricket after the third Test in Brisbane, Ravindra Jadeja is expected to keep his place.

Washington Sundar is the other spin option.

India has been carried this series by pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has tormented Australia almost single-handedly, with the other quicks not offering as much menace.

Speedster Akash Deep replaced the underperforming Harshit Rana in Brisbane and is set to play again along with Mohammed Siraj and Nitish Kumar Reddy should the second spin option not be taken.