One man with a better view of India than most in the run-up to Wednesday’s first Test is James Foster, who kept wicket for Essex in the tourists’ only warm-up match.
The biggest issue from that encounter, originally scheduled for four days but shortened to three at the 11th hour, is the fact India left Chelmsford none the wiser over the composition of their top order. That is because Shikhar Dhawan, who was widely expected to open alongside Murali Vijay at Edgbaston, faced four balls and recorded two ducks .
KL Rahul, who made 58 and an unbeaten 38 against Essex, might now come in for Dhawan at the top of the order. Yet given that would mean playing an out-of-form Cheteshwar Pujara at three, India may well decide to stick with Dhawan, who averages 43.93 in Tests, and go with Rahul at first drop.
If Dhawan gets the nod for Edgbaston, Foster does not believe his pair in Chelmsford will play too heavily on his mind. “Observing Dhawan in the last three days he looks a very relaxed sort of chap and I’m guessing even though he didn’t score any runs I don’t think that will affect him whatsoever,” said Foster.
“Even though I don’t know him, just from observing the way he is as a person from afar, I’d be very surprised if he’s bothered by it.”
Foster made his Test debut at Mohali in 2001 against an India team containing a quartet of batting greats in Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman.
Virat Kohli, widely regarded as the best batsman in the world right now, would not be out of place among such company. Yet the India captain has a point to prove over the coming weeks having averaged 13.40 in his only previous series in England four years ago. Kohli looked in good touch against Essex, scoring 68 on the first day.
Foster believes it would be a mistake for England to focus too much on nullifying Kohli. “I’m aware he’s very keen to have a very good series in English conditions,” he said. “He’s always going to be a big wicket whether he’s in form or not because he’s such a big player. If you get Kohli out cheaply that’s a big thing for any side.
“He will be the key wicket but from an English point of view, you cannot underestimate any of their batsmen. They are extremely good players and bat a long way down.
“It’s going to be a big challenge for England. It’ll be interesting to see in these conditions what type of pitches England will produce. I know the type of wickets they will want to produce but whether that’ll be possible in the dry conditions we’ve had, who knows?”
This summer’s heatwave may play into the hands of India’s spinners but it was curious the tourists used their slow bowlers for only 11 overs in Chelmsford. “Maybe there’s a reason, maybe they wanted to give the seam bowlers a real workout,” Foster said. “It was an interesting choice.”
Of the two spinners India are expected to field at Edgbaston, Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav are the most likely to play.
Kuldeep, the left-arm wrist-spinner, had a big initial impact in the recent white-ball series, taking five for 24 in the opening T20 and six for 25 in the first ODI before England found a method that worked against his unusual trajectory.
Foster said: “I faced a handful of balls. The thing I was aware of is he has a very short run up and I haven’t faced a left-arm wrist spinner since Beau Casson on a tour of Australia in 2002.
“I followed the press after England lost the first ODI. I saw how they discussed how they were going to play him and it just takes a little bit of time to get used to him. I made sure I got my angles right.”
India’s seamers will also present a big challenge, but with only two of Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami set to play the tourists have another big selection issue to make. Umesh and Ishant impressed at Chelmsford but do not rule out Shami, his country’s leading seam bowler in Test cricket over the past year with 34 wickets at 20.64.
