This week indeed is going to be a splendid one with some of the best teams in the world coming together to show their might in the longest format of the game. This week, we have India, New Zealand, England, Australia, Bangladesh and Pakistan in riveting Test match action.
Each of Mount Maunganui, Kolkata and Brisbane will host a Test match and it presents Nostragamus fantasy managers a golden chance to earn by choosing the ones who can make all the difference. Here’s a look at the preferred player choices for the week to help you in the process.
UMESH YADAV
Country: India
Match: India vs Bangladesh | Second Test
Umesh Yadav is in rip-roaring form for India in the last two months. In three Tests this year, Umesh has 15 wickets at an average of 15.46 and a strike rate of 27. To put things into perspective, Bumrah has only 14 wickets in three Tests this year. In 27 home Tests, Umesh has 88 wickets in all in his Test career and given his skiddy pace, the pink ball could bring out the best in him against Bangladesh.
MUSHFIQUR RAHIM
Country: Bangladesh
Match: India vs Bangladesh | Second Test
What a gun player Mushfiqur Rahim is! Add to it his affinity for India and the Bangladesh middle-order batsman is the tourists' only hope at surviving India's bowlers against the pink ball on a spicy Kolkata wicket. Rahim was easily the best Bangladesh batsman on show in the first Test at Indore but he still couldn't save his team. We could see more or less of the same this week with him expected to get a promotion in the batting order, too. In five Tests against India, Rahim averages 55.5, a number that soars to 64+ in Tests played in India. For an away batsman, those are some numbers to have.
PAT CUMMINS
Country: Australia
Match: Australia v Pakistan | First Test
If Ben Stokes and Steven Smith were the players of Ashes 2019, one man that seriously flew under the radar is Pat Cummins. The fast bowler has 43 wickets in eight Tests this year at an average of 18.11 and a strike rate of 40.1. In his last four innings, Cummins boasts of figures of 3/60, 4/43, 3/84 and 2/67. A big one is certainly in the offing for Cummins as he returns to his homeland. At home, his last few hauls look equally impressive - 4/39, 6/23 and 1/32.
DOMINIC SIBLEY
Country: England
Match: New Zealand vs England | First Test
England's opening slot has been a musical chair ever since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012. Now with Alastair Cook gone as well, England are in search of fresh faces and they have carried one to New Zealand in Dominic Sibley. The opener, who plays for Warwickshire, has been in terrific form in the County Championship this season. In 2019-20, Sibley tops the charts with 1324 runs in 13 matches at an average of 69.68. In New Zealand, he has warmed up with a hundred in the game against New Zealand XI and is raring to go against Trent Boult and Co. He could be a nice little differential in your fantasy team.
TRENT BOULT
Country: New Zealand
Match: New Zealand vs England | First Test
You don't go into a Test match in New Zealand without having Trent Boult in your ranks. Capable of running through teams on seaming decks, Boult has 21 wickets in four Tests this year with 13 of them coming in two Tests at home. Boult also has a fantastic record against England in Tests. In nine Tests, he has 47 wickets against them at an average of 23.02. That’s enough reason to punt on him.
Now, it's time to start creating your Fantasy team. Head to Nostragamus for more details.
Read: How unlucky is Hanuma Vihari to be benched from the Test team?
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Money Sharma
