How many teams in the world can beat the second Indian XI in Indian conditions in Tests?

[Ab Fan]

When I say second XI, I am referring to a team that doesn't feature any name in the first XI for all conditions when everyone is fit and available. This is strictly for test cricket.

Mayank Agarwal
Prithvi Shaw
Shubman Gill
KL Rahul
Shreyas Iyer
Washington Sundar
Wridhiman Saha (wkt)
Ravichandran Ashwin
Axar Patel
Mohammad Siraj
Umesh Yadav

Discuss!

 

[jaisan]

Replace ashwin with kuldeep. In indian conditions ashwin is 1 st 11 player.

 

[Mobashir]

When I say second XI, I am referring to a team that doesn't feature any name in the first XI for all conditions when everyone is fit and available. This is strictly for test cricket.

Mayank Agarwal
Prithvi Shaw
Shubman Gill
KL Rahul
Shreyas Iyer
Washington Sundar
Wridhiman Saha (wkt)
Ravichandran Ashwin
Axar Patel
Mohammad Siraj
Umesh Yadav

Discuss!

Going from bad to worse...
Ashwin in a second indian XI in Indian tests when he is without a shadow of doubt India's best player over the last 10 years in home tests!

 

[Ab Fan]

Forgot about that..

But let us not forget that Ashwin doesn't play in all conditions in India's first XI. Shardul was picked over him. It is Jadeja who plays everywhere and not Ashwin.

Still, that is only Ashwin in the side who can be replaced by Kuldeep.

 

[street cricketer]

KL is our first choice opener along with Rohit no?

 

[Swashbuckler]

Ashwin, Jadeja, Axar all are first XI players.

Remove them and we will likely lose to 5-6 test playing nations at home. A team like Australia will smash us senseless, they are visiting these shores next September, we remember the scare they gave our side in 2017, don't we?

Our spin stocks apart from main XI aren't good. We all saw Shahbaz Nadeem in the series against Eng. Sundar is strictly a batsman who can bowl a bit, his darts are more suited to T20 cricket. Jayant Yadav is a journeyman cricketer who can never lead an attack. Our backup offie is Krishnappa Gowtham, did you check how he bowled against SA-A recently? Couldn't land 6 balls in one place, in fact a full toss every over, no skill or zip whatsoever. Most of the other youngsters like Bishnoi, Chahar are white ball prospects atm, test cricket is a different game altogether.

Our second string batting unit isn't weaker because we won't have the three senior leeches. Not stronger either since Rohit, Pant are big misses. But test matches are won based on bowling strength and we have been dominating at home for a considerable period of time because of our lower 5.

Visiting teams will have a gala time against our second XI spinners, they are made to look much worse than they are by our first choice spinners who are relentless. Will not be the case against Nadeem, Yadav, Sundar and we will be under pressure every single match.

Don't overrate Indian cricket.

 

[dravidthewall]

Only Full strength australia can beat second string indian team

 

[Extra_Cover]

From all test playing nations at the moment arguably Pakistan would challenge India more than anybody else. The likes of spinning allrounders like Nawaz and Shadab would be gold in Indian conditions as backup spinners to Nauman and Sajid whilst with Hasan Ali you have a very consistent dead wicket bowler who knows the art of bowling in dry conditions where reverse would be on offer and Shaheen would be lethal with new ball. So without any hesitation in my mind Pakistan's bowling would be more superior in these conditions compared to any other test playing nation.

When it comes to batting our veterans are vastly superior players of spin in low dry wickets with likes of Abid Ali, Azhar and Fawad they can play long innings and are good players of spin. Shafique, Babar and Rizwan might struggle on spinning tracks but if a veteran gets in then others get encouragement too.

Its a shame that they both don't play each other in test circuit as we have seen some incredible moments in tests when they both play in the past. A shame that current generation is missing out on such moments in test cricket.

 

[MP2011]

Lets not get too cocky and continue winning series.

 

[street cricketer]

India have a Bradmanesque record not because the Indian batsmen are so much better at playing spin than non Indian batsmen, but because the frontline Indian spin attack of Ashwin-Jadeja-Axar is leagues ahead of any spin attack from any test playing nation currently playing cricket.

After those three though, there's quite a drop in terms of quality of spinners available in Indian domestic cricket. India could win home series even without many of our frontline batsmen, but they will lose quite a few series at home without the trio of spinners we have currently.

 

[Ab Fan]

India have a Bradmanesque record not because the Indian batsmen are so much better at playing spin than non Indian batsmen, but because the frontline Indian spin attack of Ashwin-Jadeja-Axar is leagues ahead of any spin attack from any test playing nation currently playing cricket.

After those three though, there's quite a drop in terms of quality of spinners available in Indian domestic cricket. India could win home series even without many of our frontline batsmen, but they will lose quite a few series at home without the trio of spinners we have currently.

Jadeja these days is a batting A/R like Washington Sundar, not a bowling A/R.

So, Ashwin, Axar and Washington are more than capable to win games on their own. Jadeja is replaceable now as India showed with their 370 run massive win.