India Grapple With Balance Ahead of Birmingham Test

Indian team management is working out all combinations to tame the England batting after the home side chased down a record 371 on day five of the opening Test

- TRIDIB BAPARNASH

Struggling to find the right combination that doesn't compromise on batting depth and yet has the bowlers to take 20 wickets, India are expected to ring in a few changes, especially in the bowling department as they hope to level the five-match series for the newly-rechristened Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, when they take the field against England in the second Test, starting in Birmingham on Wednesday.

Stung by the five-wicket loss at Headingley, the Indian team management is working out all combinations to tame the England batting after the home side chased down a record 371 on day five of the opening Test.

With the wicket in Birmingham expected to be a batting track, the visitors are mulling at adding another specialist spinner, most likely at the cost of seam bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur, who did not have the best of outings in the first Test.

India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had on Tuesday admitted that the team management is still working on finding the right mix between maintaining batting depth and picking wicket-taking bowlers.

"In terms of managing the strategy there, we're looking at each bowler individually, feeling what we feel they can get wickets-wise. And then it's just trying to balance up and trying to calculate as best you can what the best chance of getting into the Test match," the former Dutch player said.