Third test might be rescheduled

India's chances of winning the third Test, after regaining the services of Sehwag and Gambhir, look dim as the London riots have spread to Birmingham. If these riots are not immediately brought under-control there is a chance that the Test might not start on Wednesday as scheduled. 



What India is facing now, England faced it back during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks where they have to leave the series in between and had to fly out to England. However, the English side the came back and continued the series from where it was left. A chance that such rescheduling might again come in consideration is a very strong one.

However, Strauss and Co. will be hoping for a third straight win after showing brilliant displays at Lord's and then at Trent Bridge. Meanwhile, India who has been facing a number of injury cases in the recent times will be a bit relieved as their players would have more time to get used to the conditions at Edgbaston .Indian batting will be heavily relying on Sehwag as he joins the side after recovery from shoulder injury. Unfortunately, even Sehwag has failed to stabilize the Indian batting line-up as it collapsed in a practice match against the Northants. 

Meanwhile, England's batting depth has proved too much for an India attack where left-arm quick Zaheer Khan's series came to an end midway through his 14th over at Lord's.

"It's a mental thing as well because for some of us it's been a seven-match Test series with hardly any gap," admitted India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who looked close to both physical and mental exhaustion at Trent Bridge.

Medium-pacer Praveen Kumar has done his best to shoulder a heavy workload but with off-spinner Harbhajan Singh breaking down with a series-ending stomach injury at Trent Bridge, recalled England seamer Tim Bresnan made 90 batting at No. 8 before taking a Test-best five for 44 with the ball.

Bresnan was only playing at Trent Bridge because of the hamstring and back problems that also seem set to sideline fast bowler Chris Tremlett from appearing at Edgbaston as well.
A series of injury cases have left both sides wobbling . India's new set set of players, Ojha, RP Singh and  Kohli, will be waiting to grab their chances and to lift their team to a win. An injured Trott made way for Bopara who'll be waiting eagerly to show the selectors that what they did was wrong during the Bopara-Morgan clash.

Arun Rawlani
Writer at Stumped