Sehwag predicts Test series scoreline, Bhuvneshwar Kumar set for comeback and more - Cricket News, 27th August 2018

With the Test series between England and India set to enter a tipping point at Southampton, celebrated cricketers Virender Sehwag and Ray Illingworth have offered their respective predictions on the titanic tussle.

Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has regained adequate fitness and will return to action in the Quadrangular series. Manish Pandey is aiming to seal a spot in India's unconvincing middle-order during the upcoming Asia Cup. In other news, Glenn McGrath has made a bold prediction on James Anderson's record-bound tally of wickets.

Let us take a look at all the significant cricket news from the day gone by.

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Rejuvenated Manish Pandey looks towards Asia Cup

Manish Pandey is in impressive form in the ongoing Quadrangular series

Batsman Manish Pandey is aiming to seal a spot in India's iffy middle-order in ODIs. With his last ODI appearance coming against Sri Lanka last year, he is determined to make a comeback during the upcoming Asia Cup.

Currently captaining India 'B' in the Quadrangular series at Bengaluru, Pandey has stood a class apart by amassing 233 runs at a remarkable strike-rate of 93.57. More pertinently, he has remained unbeaten in all three innings thus far.

Pandey said: "I'm looking at the middle order at the moment, trying to seal that position. This (Quadrangular) series was a proving ground to get some runs and get looked at for the Asia Cup. I want to enjoy myself, there is competition, but I want to focus on what I do best."

Bhuvneshwar Kumar set to return to action

Bhuvneshwar Kumar will play in India 'A's next game against South Africa 'A'

Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has regained optimum fitness and is set to return to action. He will join the India 'A' squad for their next match against South Africa 'A' in the ongoing Quadrangular series in Bengaluru.

A statement from BCCI read, "Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been declared fit & will be a part of the India A squad in the ongoing Quadrangular series. He will feature in the side's next fixture against South Africa A."

Having worsened his lower back injury during the ODI series against England, Bhuvneshwar was forced to miss the five-match Test series. After spending extensive rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, he recuperated adequately and will now return to the field with the aim of making a comeback in the upcoming Asia Cup.

Illingworth backs Kohli's India to replicate Bradman's Australia

India will be looking to extend their Trent Bridge momentum into the Ageas Bowl

Former England skipper Ray Illingworth has backed the Indian team to win the ongoing Test series against his countrymen. Even though the visitors currently trail the series 2-1, the 86-year old believes that Virat Kohli's team have it in them to replicate the historic comeback by Don Bradman's side in the 1936/37 Ashes.

After suffering hefty defeats in the first two Tests, the Bradman-led Australian lineup turned the tide at Melbourne and won the last three matches to clinch the Ashes. This remains the only instance of a team turning a 0-2 deficit into a 3-2 victory in a five-match Test series.

Illingworth insisted: "Well, India have shown they have come here to fight. They did very well to make a comeback in the series by winning the Test match at Trent Bridge convincingly. I would say, the series is 50-50 and after the Trent Bridge win, India has a chance to do what no other team could manage to do in many many years after Don Bradman's team in 1936-37."

McGrath believes Anderson's record-bound Test tally cannot be beaten

James Anderson is on the cusp of becoming the most prolific fast bowler in Test history

James Anderson is on the verge of overtaking Glenn McGrath's record tally and becoming the most prolific fast bowler in Test history. Pointing to the changing nature of the modern game, the legendary Australian seamer feels that no fast bowler will ever surpass the England stalwart's eventual tally.

"Once Jimmy goes past me, it will be interesting to see where he wants to set the bar. With the nature of the game these days and the amount of Twenty20 cricket, I believe no fast bowler will ever go past him", McGrath told the Daily Mail.

Anderson needs only seven more wickets to go past McGrath's record collection of 563 Test wickets. The top three spots in the all time list are all occupied by spinners.

Sehwag predicts England-India Test series scoreline

Virender Sehwag has urged India to vanquish England in the next two Tests

Iconic opening batsman Virender Sehwag has predicted a 3-2 victory for India in the ongoing Test series against England. Placing the onus on skipper Virat Kohli to maintain his stellar form, the 39-year old has backed the visitors to conjure momentous triumphs in the next two Tests.

During a cricket show hosted on India TV, Sehwag asserted, "Under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, India can defeat England 3-2 to win Test series. It's tough, but not impossible for the current set of players to win the Test series from this stage."

The fourth Test between England and India is set to begin on the 30th at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. The fifth and final Test will take place at the Oval from September 7.