Will RCB star debut? What will be India's Playing XI for 2nd Test against England?

India endured an embarrassing defeat against England in the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs.
 By Darpan Jain Jan 30, 2024, 12:12 IST
Jasprit Bumrah is a good player.?width=963&height=541&resizemode=4
The playing XI for the second Test will be interesting, as the management has some big calls to make.

India endured an embarrassing defeat against England in the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs. Despite getting a formidable 190-run lead, the Indian team couldn’t capitalise on the advantage and let the game slip. The English team was in complete control in the last two days, becoming the first side to defeat India in India after a 100+ runs lead in the first innings.

It was an unideal start to the series for the home team. The problems are only going to exacerbate for them, as Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul will be unavailable due to injuries in the second Test. India were already thin on resources after Virat Kohli withdrew his name from the first two Test matches, citing personal reasons.

India have included the ever-consistent Sarfaraz Khan as a replacement for KL Rahul, while Sourabh Kumar and Washington Sundar have also been added to the squad to cover up for Ravindra Jadeja. Rajat Patidar is already in the squad after being named a replacement for Virat Kohli for the initial two games. Patidar’s recent form for India A led to his selection over Sarfaraz, who finally gets a much-deserved call.

The Indian team is already going through a transition phase, and the absence of two vital players is a massive blow. Both were among the best players for India, albeit in a losing cause. The playing XI for the second Test will be interesting, as the management has some big calls to make.

Strongest India Playing XI for 2nd Test against England

1. Rohit Sharma (c)

2. Yashasvi Jaiswal

3. Shubman Gill

4. Rajat Patidar

5. Shreyas Iyer

6. Srikar Bharat (wk)

7. Axar Patel

8. Ravichandran Ashwin

9. Kuldeep Yadav

10. Jasprit Bumrah

11. Mohammed Siraj

The opening combination will remain the same. The captain, Rohit Sharma, will open with Yashasvi Jaiswal. Despite a mediocre run in the format, Shubman Gill will retain his place after the unavailability of first-choice players.

Rajat Patidar looks set to make his Test debut for India and will come in place of KL Rahul at No.4. Patidar’s recent form has been top-notch, and he might get the nod ahead of Sarfaraz. Shreyas Iyer, who has also been underwhelming, might keep his spot for the game and take the No.5 position.

Srikar Bharat will be the wicketkeeper, as he kept the wickets with good technique and batted well in the second innings. Axar Patel will take the No.7 spot, and his role will increase in the absence of Ravindra Jadeja. He will have to snare wickets consistently and bat well in the absence of a talismanic all-rounder.

Ravichandran Ashwin will be the next player, whose batting role will be equally important in Jadeja’s absence. Kuldeep Yadav, who missed the previous game, will replace Ravindra Jadeja in the XI. His inclusion will provide the team with a wrist-spin option to counter Bazball.

Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah will be the two pacers. While Bumrah bowled brilliantly in the previous game, Siraj looked listless. Both will have the responsibility to provide breakthroughs upfront with the new ball.

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