After a humiliating defeat in the first ODI by 66 runs, England will have everything to play for to keep the series alive when they lock horns with India in the second of the three-match series on March 26 (Friday) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The clash between the top two white-ball titans has seen the tour ebb and flow since the first Test but the host has emerged victorious in the red-ball format as well as the T20Is. They have also taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.
England have been dealt with major injury blows and will miss the service of their skipper Eoin Morgan and Sam Billing, both of them who copped injuries during Tuesday’s encounter. While Morgan has been ruled out of the entire series with a split webbing, Billing will miss the 2nd ODI due to a sprained collarbone and the management will progress his rehabilitation before taking a call for the final game of the tour.
England wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler will lead the side while Liam Livingstone is all set to make his debut. World’s top-ranked T20I batsman Dawid Malan has been added to the squad as a cover-up.
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From India’s camp, Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the remainder of the series due to a dislocated shoulder. Rohit Sharma also took a blow on the right elbow and didn’t take the field in the second innings but wasn’t deemed serious. However, Iyer’s injury will not be a massive blow as India have like-to-like replacements in the form of Suryakumar Yadav, who is waiting for his ODI debut, and Rishabh Pant.
India vs England 2021: 2nd ODI at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune starting from 1:30 PM IST
Match Prediction – Who will win the match?
The Men in Blues will be high on confidence after their thumping win in the first ODI where they staged an outstanding comeback taking a couple of wickets in quick succession. On the other hand, England will have to play out of their skin in the absence of Eoin Morgan to level terms in the series.
But India will enter the game as the favorites with all possibilities of sealing the series with one match to spare.
