Ahead of the second Test against England, India skipper Virat Kohli on Wednesday said that the side would pick bowlers based on who can help the side pick 20 wickets. The statement came after Shardul Thakur picked up a hamstring injury during net practice. Thakur is set to miss the second Test, which will be played at Lord’s from August 12.

Kohli said that Thakur lends balance to the Indian playing XI in English conditions and indicated that his replacement would not be based on batting qualities. He said the team management would focus on someone who can help dismiss the opposition twice.

Kohli’s open-ended statement could be interpreted as favorable as well as not so favourable for veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who had to sit out of the first Test with Thakur being preferred over him as a seamer all-rounder.

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His statement could mean that they have faith in the wicket-taking ability of Ashwin, or it could also mean that the team management is looking to go with a pace bowler like Ishant Sharma or Umesh Yadav. Both Ishant and Umesh don’t possess the batting prowess that Ashwin does.

“Good thing is that Jadeja has got runs in the first Test already and he is going into the second game confident that already makes our batting deeper, the lower order contributed with bat a well,” Kohli said during the pre-match media interaction informing that Shardul has been ruled out due to a left hamstring injury.

“Yes, Shardul brings in more batting ability but having said that from the batsmen’s point of view, we are well placed because Pujara, Jinx (Rahane) and myself we didn’t score too many.”

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The skipper was specific that he was not looking at batting qualities while deciding Thakur’s replacement.

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The second Test will start on August 12 and will be played at Lord’s.