Ind vs SA, 3rd Test: Umesh Yadav in for Varun Aaron and AB de Villiers at No.3?

Umesh Yadav was dropped from the India side that played the Bengaluru Test. (Source: PTI)

It was a ripper. On a turning pitch at Chinnaswamy, Varun Aaron delivered the ball of the match.

Hashim Amla was fairly new to the crease and was a little tentative while defending incoming deliveries. Last ball of the 15th over, the South Africa captain was beaten for pace and movement as the ball darted away off the deck and hit the top of the off stump.

Aaron has the ability to bowl such unplayable deliveries. He’s equally prone to occasional messy stuff and erratic deliveries. Only a few overs after dismissing Amla, he fired one that landed about a foot outside the leg stump and it was only Wriddhiman Saha’s brilliance which prevented a four.

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Inconsistency has been a problem for the Jharkhand fast bowler.

The speedster was picked ahead of Umesh Yadav for the Bangalore Test; a little curious, given that the latter had bowled well in the Test series in Sri Lanka. The two fast bowlers played together in Mohali but Ishant Sharma was out, suspended for that game.

Once the leader of the pack returned to the fold, one of the younger men had to make way. Kohli chose Aaron for the Bangalore game which turned out to be a rain-marred affair.

At Nagpur, he has to take a call. For the record, in the Ranji Trophy match that Umesh played against Rajasthan after being released by the Indian team, he took 4/45 in the first innings.

Also, he’s perhaps a better option when the ball starts reversing. South Africa haven’t batted long enough in this series to allow the reverse swing to come into play. However, after two Tests, they’re expected to be better prepared for the spin challenge.

The Nagpur Jamtha ground is Umesh’s home ground as well.

As for the visitors, they must take a relook at their batting order. Yes, AB de Villiers is more comfortable playing at No. 5 but under the present circumstances it has become imperative to promote him up the order. He has scored at an average of 54.66 in two Tests.

More importantly, he’s the only one who can take the fight to the Indian spinners. Faf du Plessis so far has scored only one run in three innings, batting at No. 3. Amla, too, has been going through an extended slump in form. At No. 5, AB is always under a great deal of pressure and he’s left fighting a lone battle. A little bit of adjustments might help the Saffers.