Virat Kohli's decision to drop Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the second Test puzzling

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  • Bhuvneshwar was the star for India at Newlands.

    When reports emerged last week that it was Bhuvneshwar Kumar who would have made way for Ishant Sharma in the opening Test against South Africa, it seemed a little far-fetched. And so it happened, Ishant’s slight niggle meant the call did not have to be made as Bhuvneshwar produced a sublime display of seam bowling.

    That Bhuvneshwar does not seem to be high in the pecking order of India’s pace battery was confirmed on Saturday as Virat Kohli dropped the 27-year-old to make way for Ishant in the playing XI for the second Test at Centurion.

    Jasprit Bumrah, who had made his debut at Newlands, retained his place along with Mohammed Shami. With the pitch at SuperSport Park being among the bouncier tracks in South Africa, Ishant’s inclusion was very well warranted.

    What was not warranted though was dropping a pacer who has come on leaps and bounds in the last year or so. While Bhuvenshwar’s ability to swing the ball both ways with the red-ball has never been in doubt since his introduction to international cricket, it has always been his lack of extra pace which has set him back.

    Bhuvneshwar picked up a six-wicket haul in the first Test.

    Bhuvneshwar picked up a six-wicket haul in the first Test.

    Lately however, Bhuvneshwar has worked hard on his speed and has been regularly clocking the late 130s km/h and early 140s. His beautiful seam movement has become all the more potent with the increase in pace.

    While he did not have an extended run in the Test side in 2017 as India dominated at home, his limited-overs form is a testament to his unwavering accuracy and consistency. He was India’s best bowler in a dismal tour of England in 2014. Perhaps the only blot on his overseas record is his performance in the Sydney Test against Australia in 2015 where he picked up just one wicket, giving away 168 runs in the match.

    With India choosing to stimulate conditions in South Africa during its last Test series against Sri Lanka at home, Bhuvneshwar was nearly unplayable at Eden Gardens as he picked up four wickets in each innings.

    He continued that showing in Cape Town with a six-wicket haul where he ran through South Africa’s top-order on the opening day. Therefore, to learn that he was second choice on a track tailor-made for his wobbly seamers, does not reflect well for Kohli’s selection methods.

    Bumrah, who leaked runs in the first innings at Newlands before coming back strongly in the second, was expensive once again on Saturday. So was Mohammed Shami, who looked down on pace once again. While Ishant toiled hard, India’s other pacers failed to maintain the pressure as they allowed South Africa’s batsmen to get away.

    Ishant was the sole Indian pacer to shine on Saturday.

    Ishant was the sole Indian pacer to shine on Saturday.

    Shami bowled only 11 overs through the day and had to leave the field for a brief while as he struggled with his rhythm. Bhuvneshwar’s ability to keep things tight would have been a greater asset for Kohli at Centurion despite the lack of lateral movement off the pitch. He has also been handy with the bat for India lower down the order and the 127 deliveries he faced in total at Newlands was the most for any Indian batsmen in the 72-run defeat.

    Kohli continues to make brave calls in his team selection but his dropping of Bhuvneshwar at Centurion reeks of a lack in confidence in the seamer’s abilities despite his consistent performances.

    Bhuvneshwar had arguably been India’s most in-form bowler heading into the second Test and his place in the side should have been a given. More importantly, the fact that he would not have played in Newlands but for fate, shows that the seamer does not rank high in Kohli’s books.

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