Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
In a significant setback, following their defeat in the first Test against England, India will be looking to bounce back in IND vs ENG 2nd Test at Visakhapatnam Cricket Stadium.
The loss marks a rare instance for India, as it’s been several years since they suffered a Test defeat after securing a lead of over 100 runs in the first innings. The brilliance of Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley played a pivotal role in India’s downfall, with both players bouncing back strongly in the second innings after a subpar performance in the initial stages of the match.
India has faced a considerable drop in the World Test Championship (WTC 2023-25) standings as a result. The unexpected turn of events has added intensity to the WTC race, putting pressure on Rohit Sharma and his team to regroup and stage a strong comeback in the subsequent matches. As the cricketing world awaits the unfolding drama in the ongoing World Test Championship, this loss serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of Test cricket and the challenges that top-ranked teams like India must navigate to maintain their standing in the championship.
WK: KS Bharat
BAT: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Joe Root, Ollie Pope, Rohit Sharma
ALL: R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Ben Stokes
BOWL: Jack Leach, Jasprit Bumrah
Team News: Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul are unavailable for second test match at Visakhapatnam.
R Ashwin is an excellent choice.
Joe Root can be another option since he contributes with both bat and ball.
Axar Patel can be tried in Grand League.
Vishakhapatnam Cricket Stadium pitch can make the batting look more difficult. Expect spinners to rule the roost.
1st Test: January 25 – 29, 2024, 09:30 AM IST, Hyderabad – Won by ENG
2nd Test: February 2 – 6, 2024, 09:30 AM IST, Visakhapatnam
3rd Test: February 15 – 19, 2024, 09:30 AM IST, Rajkot
4th Test: February 23 – 27, 2024, 09:30 AM IST, Ranchi
5th Test: March 7 – 11, 2024, 09:30 AM IST, Dharamsala
Rohit Sharma (C)
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Shubman Gill
Sarfaraz Khan/Rajat Patidar
Shreyas Iyer
KS Bharat (wk)
Axar Patel
R Ashwin
Kuldeep Yadav
Mohd. Siraj
Jasprit Bumrah
Zak Crawley
Ben Duckett
Ollie Pope
Joe Root
Jonny Bairstow
Ben Stokes (c)
Ben Foakes (wk)
Rehan Ahmed
Tom Hartley
Mark Wood
Jack Leach
Watch India England Test match live on Sports 18. Jio Cinemas will provide live streaming in India