In all likelihood, Ishant Sharma will miss the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch. Umesh Yadav could replace injured Sharma in the match.
Ishant Sharma to miss Churchgate Test?
India will take on New Zealand for the second Test match starting from February 29, Saturday. But according to reports, India’s star fast bowler Ishant Sharma’s ankle injury resurfaced that he developed on January 30. Sharma who did bowl for a while in the training session on Thursday but was not visible in the nets on Friday. He had passed a fitness test before getting picked up for the two-match Test series in New Zealand and joined the squad just two days before the Wellington Test.
Ishant did bowl for a short while in the nets on Thursday but was not present in the training session on Friday. He had passed the fitness test just before the start of the two-match Test series and had joined the Indian squad just a couple of days before the first match in Wellington. He showed his class yet again on the field and ended with a five-wicket haul. Missing Ishant Sharma means India would have trouble on the green track of Churchgate. Jasprit Bumrah is still searching his form and in this situation Sharma would have been probably the finest weapon of Virat Kohli in the next match.
Umesh Yadav to replace?
Umesh Yadav was last featured in the Day-night Test against Bangladesh in Kolkata in November 2019 where he ended up taking eight wickets in the match, which included a five-wicket haul in the second innings. He recently played Ranji Trophy for Vidarbha and ended with picking up eight scalps in five matches. Even in the practice game against New Zealand XI in Hamilton, he had a good outing with a couple of wickets in the drawn game.
Umesh Yadav has been in a good form with the ball and also kept himself match-fit by playing professional cricket. His away Test records are modest too as in 17 away Tests, he accumulated 46 wickets at an average of 42.19, as against 30.26 overall, and an economy rate of 4.15. Virat Kohli would like to see Yadav shining in Churchgate in absence of Ishant Sharma.
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