Not Jasprit Bumrah, Michael Clarke Picks This India Star As X Factor For England Test Series-OxBig News Network

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has backed India and believes that the side has enough talent to defeat England despite new faces joining the team. Indian Cricket Team is all set to play a five-match Test series in England starting from June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. This Indian side will be led by Shubman Gill and will be the start of a new era after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.While others believe that India will have a tough time in this series, Clarke believes differently.

Clarke while talking to Revsportz spoke about the void India may feel on this tour considering the greats have retired.
“Well, yes, I do give them a chance, but it’s a lot more inexperienced team than the one I expected it to be on a plane to England. Having no Rohit Sharma, no Virat Kohli is huge. Players come, players go, people retire, and the game moves on. So, that does not mean a new captain is the worst thing for India. I’m not saying that. Somebody retires, and that gives somebody else an opportunity,” Clarke said

“The main thing for me, though, is the Indian bowling attack. So we’re all aware that Bumrah(Jasprit) is not going to play five Tests. So, which Test matches is he going to play? Does he play the first three in a row? You win this series, and the last two will not matter. I don’t think that’s going to be the case. I think it’s going to have to be spaced out because the reason he’s not going to play five is for his body,” he said.

He also talked about Mohammad Shami not making the cut for the squad. He believes that in Bumrah’s absence Shami could have be an vital cog in the wheel.
“And then I also saw no Shami(Mohammed) in the squad as well. I think him missing the Australian series was huge, and if he and a fit Bumrah was in Australia then it would have been a very different series. But then India has huge talent. You know, I think talent-wise, India will always be in safe hands. It’s just how soon can some of these players make a mark in this series. Five Test matches in England is tough, tough cricket, and they need to be conscious of that,” he added.

Surprising X Factor Choice
Michael Clarke surprisingly named Kuldeep Yadav as India’s X factor in this tour. Despite England being a seam friendly nation with conditions conducive for Fast bowlers and spinners not finding a place, Clarke named him as an X factor.

“So you don’t have scars, or you don’t have fear. So that could be a positive. I love seeing Kuldeep out there. I think he’s earned the right to be India’s first-pick spinner. I think he’s a match-winner. I think he has an X factor. And I think he will be defining. If India wins the series, I think Kuldeep Yadav could be the difference. He’s that big a player, in my opinion, in this Indian team,” he added.

India Test Squad –

Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.