Jadeja likely to retain his spot while Chahal could replace Kuldeep

Ravindra Jadeja celebrates a SL wicket with skipper Virat Kohli. PIC/AFP

MANCHESTER: Team India are set to go in with a five-bowler strategy for today's semi-final against New Zealand here at Old Trafford. The strategy was brought in after their loss to England at
Edgbaston in the league stage.

It is learnt that India will continue with Ravindra Jadeja, who played his first match of the World Cup on Saturday against Sri Lanka at Headingley. The left-arm spinner's 1-40 off his 10 overs has encouraged the Indian team management to persist with him.

That he adds depth to the batting is another factor that Team India has taken into consideration.

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who did not play against Sri Lanka, will probably get a go-ahead instead of chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, who took for 1-58 against the Lankans.

In the pace department, there could be a toss-up between Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Indications are that Bhuvneshwar is likely to be persisted with despite being taken to the cleaners [10-0-73-1] by the Lankans. Over overcast conditions and the threat of rain hovering before the start of the match are the likely reasons for Bhuvneshwar to be picked over Shami.

When asked if Team India will go in with five bowlers, skipper Virat Kohli said that it is "quite possible". And if the team required a sixth bowling option, Kohli joked that he won't mind rolling his arm over after he was reminded that he had claimed current NZ captain Kane Williamson's wicket during the U-19 World Cup in 2008. "I'm quite lethal, provided I don't slip on the field," said Kohli.

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