Travails of Shikhar Dhawan and Rahul's rise: Pictures from practice match against Essex

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Chelmsford, July 28: The warm-up match between India and Essex, concluded at Chelmsford, Essex, on Friday (July 27) had a bit of everything, a teaser to the full picture if you will. It started on a controversial note after getting trimmed to three days from the original four, then there was an injury scare to R Ashwin.

Here MyKhel takes stock of the situation after the side game and discuss whether India are primed for the first Test against England at Edgbaston from August 1.

Pressure on Shikhar Dhawan

The left-handed opener's place in the Test team is under question for some time now and he can't afford another failure. But the side game against Essex showed that the old failures still exist - all he lasted was four deliveries in two innings at Chelmsford and each time movement beat him. Yes, few batsmen like it when the ball darts around as it happens in the English conditions.

But Dhawan becomes less a batsmen and more a nervous inhabitant at the crease in these conditions. His famous aggression too fades away. The team think tank will certainly think hard before including him in the playing XI at Edgbaston.

KL Rahul knocking

The Essex game showed that the Karnataka batsman is ready for another knock in Test cricket. Came in at six, Rahul made a fluent 58 in the first innings and then produced an unbeaten 36 as opener in the second essay and those knocks have taken him ahead of Dhawan. The only thing that goes in favour of the Delhi man right now is the think tank's desire to pair a left-hander with Murali Vijay at the totem pole position.

Rahul, who has not yet played Test cricket in England, does not have any specific weakness in his batting. He is a rounded batsman and the chink is his penchant to become over-aggressive, a desire to dominate bowlers in all situations. That's unlikely to come off in Test cricket but Rahul now has a tremendous chance to project himself as the premier candidate for the opening slot.

Where's solid Pujara?

In 2018, Cheteshwar Pujara has a single fifty - an even 50 at Johannesburg - in seven innings. And that's just one part. The Saurashtra man has spent a lengthy period at Yorkshire ahead of this tour of England and came up with figures of 172 runs in 12 innings at 14.33 and that's hardly a confidence inspiring preparation ahead of a five-match Test series for your No 1 cotender for the No 3 slot.

Pujara has not really been able to tackle the away going ball in England and his troubles were pronounced even in 2014 when he managed just 222 runs from 10 innings at 22.20 with a solitary fifty. Pujara needs some runs and urgently too. There are batsmen like KL Rahul and Karun Nair waiting in the queue.

Firing Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma

The injury enforced absence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah has placed the onus on Umesh and Ishant. Against Essex, Umesh bagged four wickets and Ishant three to show that they are ready for a long English summer. Of late, Ishant has showed that he has progressed from a scatter gun bowler with some meaningful efforts in red ball cricket home and away. Has he found his space after all those years of struggle? This tour will tell us.

Umesh has the pace and skill to rattle opposition and dish out those odd stunner and what now he needs is constant encouragement from the powers that be in the team. With his pace, stamina and skill sets, Umesh could be an important factor for India on this trip.