Former captain Sunil Gavaskar today said all-rounder Stuart Binny would lend much needed balance to the Indian team which is keen to bounce back after an embarrassing defeat in the first Test against Sri Lanka.
Binny was drafted into the Indian squad as the 16th member after India lost the Galle Test by 63 runs.
"I think it will be a very good pitch. It may help the seamers on the first day and half an hour everyday. If you want somebody who can have proper seam bowling to fill in some overs and then bat also, Binny is the man. He will lend balance to the team," Gavaskar said ahead of the second Test which starts in Colombo tomorrow. "Binny can be the bowler who can give rest to your main bowlers and also get a wicket," he added.
But Gavaskar said if India goes with three specialist fast bowlers, he would pick Bhuvneshwar Kumar to be the third seamer in the team. Ishant Sharma and Varun Aaron were the two specialist pacers in the first Test.
"If you are going with three specialist seamers, then I feel Bhuvneshwar should be included as he can swing the ball. Nobody can swing the ball in the Indian team better than Bhuvi and he can also be very stubborn down the order as he did in England," said the former captain.
Gavaskar said that veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh who performed poorly in the first Test may have to sit out.
"I don't think that Harbhajan will play in the second Test. Flying in Binny clearly indicates that one spinner from the Galle Test will be out," he told NDTV.
Gavaskar reiterated his earlier view that captain Virat Kohli should bat at number three and lead from the front.
"By far he is the best batsman in the Indian team. A captain should lead by example and Kohli should bat at number three," said Gavasakr.
"He (Kohli) talks about the number four spot but why did he come at number five at Galle. He should have come at number four at Galle," he said.
Asked whether Cheteshwar Pujara should be included in the team for the second Test, Gavaskar said, "Pujara is a solid player. If the ball swings around early in the innings and in the mornings, he is the right man."
Binny was drafted into the Indian squad as the 16th member after India lost the Galle Test by 63 runs.
"I think it will be a very good pitch. It may help the seamers on the first day and half an hour everyday. If you want somebody who can have proper seam bowling to fill in some overs and then bat also, Binny is the man. He will lend balance to the team," Gavaskar said ahead of the second Test which starts in Colombo tomorrow. "Binny can be the bowler who can give rest to your main bowlers and also get a wicket," he added.
But Gavaskar said if India goes with three specialist fast bowlers, he would pick Bhuvneshwar Kumar to be the third seamer in the team. Ishant Sharma and Varun Aaron were the two specialist pacers in the first Test.
"If you are going with three specialist seamers, then I feel Bhuvneshwar should be included as he can swing the ball. Nobody can swing the ball in the Indian team better than Bhuvi and he can also be very stubborn down the order as he did in England," said the former captain.
Gavaskar said that veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh who performed poorly in the first Test may have to sit out.
"I don't think that Harbhajan will play in the second Test. Flying in Binny clearly indicates that one spinner from the Galle Test will be out," he told NDTV.
Gavaskar reiterated his earlier view that captain Virat Kohli should bat at number three and lead from the front.
"By far he is the best batsman in the Indian team. A captain should lead by example and Kohli should bat at number three," said Gavasakr.
"He (Kohli) talks about the number four spot but why did he come at number five at Galle. He should have come at number four at Galle," he said.
Asked whether Cheteshwar Pujara should be included in the team for the second Test, Gavaskar said, "Pujara is a solid player. If the ball swings around early in the innings and in the mornings, he is the right man."
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