India vs England 2nd Test: Playing 11 and must-dos for famous win
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India was on the brink in Nottingham. For once, a pandemic induced sinister time had colluded with realities of live sport to hand Virat Kohli’s men plenty of preparation time ahead of an away Test series and the difference showed. India was ready to go from the first ball and if not for rain, for only the second time under Kohli’s captaincy, could have won the first Test in a SENA country. And hence, India vs England 2nd Test is so vital.
Kohli has always been a vocal advocate of Test cricket and his approach to the longest format has also been elite. When an Indian team plays a Test match, it comes across as though the players genuinely want to be a part of the grind – home or away. This attitude has translated into results as well. India have been consistently unbeatable at home and have travelled well with victories in Australia, Sri Lanka and West Indies. However, nothing legitimizes dominance more than triumph in the game’s place of origin.
And this series probably is India’s best opportunity to win their first Test series on English soil since Rahul Dravid’s 2007 team. The beginning, as mentioned, was promising. However, India will know all too well that beginnings can be deceptive. They have themselves, on their home soil, overturned deficits and bad starts to emphatic victories.
Hence, it is imperative for India to grab the decisive moments and not let their clench loosen during crucial junctures. The team did a lot of good things in the India vs England game at Nottingham but they would still want to sort the following things out.
India vs England 2nd Test – The Pujara issue
Cheteshwar Pujara has just not been himself. A top Test team’s batsman at number 3 should be doing more than batting just time. It is perhaps an oversimplification to bracket Pujara as someone who is batting for the clock, but this is not a narrative solely of the media’s making.
Captain Kohli, after the World Test Championship final, had alluded to certain batsmen who need to change their approach. There was no name calling and perhaps he included himself in that category too but it would be naïve to imagine that Pujara – perhaps the most opposite to Kohli a character can get – was not hinted at in this assessment.
His last 10 Test innings have been 15 runs off 38 balls, 21 off 58, 7 off 23, 0 off 4, Did Not Bat, 17 off 66, 8 off 54, 15 off 80, 4 off 16 and 12 not out off 13 balls. One can see why there have been questions raised regarding Pujara. It is not just a case of strike rates but that of runs. He needs to find his touch back in the India vs England 2nd Test in order to make this series memorable. Now more than ever as the openers are finally giving the team good starts.
India vs England 2nd Test – Shami and full length
It has been well documented that Mohammed Shami had induced more false shots than any other bowler on India’s tour of England in 2018. One argument was that Shami was unlucky and the other analysis showed that the Indian pacer was simply not pitching the ball full enough. That meant the ball had enough time to sneak past the outside edge of the batsman.
He corrected his length in the WTC final and returned as India’s best bowler. However, in the first Test match, he perhaps went slightly shorter and despite once again being the pick of India’s bowlers, was not successful in the second innings.
In the India vs England 2nd Test, Shami will need to pitch the ball fuller as his seam presentation is near perfect to extract the most out of English conditions. India might well be short of a pacer in London for the 2nd Test and will need their playing quicks to be at the top of their game if they are to return with a favourable result. Bumrah has rediscovered his form. Siraj has a knack of picking wicket and if Shami can get his luck going, India vs England 2nd Test might be a memorable game for the visiting side.
India vs England 2nd Test – Ashwin and combination
Word is that Shardul Thakur has injured his hamstring and he will not feature in the India vs England 2nd Test. That opens up a spot at number 8 where Kohli fancies a bowler who can bat given India’s other pacers – whoever between Siraj and Ishant is picked to accompany Shami and Bumrah – are not known to stick around for a long time.
R Ashwin looks the most likely candidate to fill that spot given India’s lack of alternatives in the semi allrounder department. It is perhaps unfair to suggest Ashwin’s inclusion is a consequence of sparsity. However, the management would perhaps have overlooked the off spinner if a quick bowling allrounder was fit and available for the India vs England 2nd Test.
This means that India will return to the combination of the WTC final, a game where Ashwin did bowl well and has continued to impress in the county games he has played for Surrey. Ashwin has been regularly picking up wickets and is an elite, if not the best, spinner in the world at the moment. He has also found his form with the bat and thus adds solid quality to the side for India vs England 2nd Test.
India vs England 2nd Test Playing 11: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumraj, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj.
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Arinjay Ghosh
(77 Articles Published)