Team India after being beaten in the first Test will look to bounce back in Chepauk when they face England in the 2nd Test. Virat Kohli and his men will be cheered by cricket fans who will be back at the stands chanting the name of their favorite players. This is the second of the two-Test matches at this venue before the teams head to Ahmedabad for the last two Tests. More about the 2nd Test preview in detail below.
Team India’s batsmen disappointed in the fourth innings as they could not prevent the England bowlers from bowling them out to win the Test match. Indian skipper Virat Kohli said after the match that they are not putting any excuse after this defeat and promised to come back hard in the second Test. Personally, he did not have the best of starts on his return and cumulatively the batting group disappointed as well. There were questions about the form of Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane to which the Indian skipper responded positively.
Meanwhile, the Indian line-up is expected to see a change with Axar Patel fit and available for selection. He will replace Shabaz Nadeem who is a part of the reserves for the second Test. This has also sparked a fight between Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav for a third spinner’s spot. Ravichandran Ashwin will lead the spin attack yet again at his home ground. While Axar was seen at the training grounds, Kuldeep was not, which has yet again sparked a debate on his inclusion in the next Test. The chinaman last played Test cricket for India back in 2019 and has not played much international cricket in the last couple of years.
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All-Important Test Match For Team India
With the second Test being an all-important for India to come back into the series, the batting line-up will be challenged as well. There are no changes expected in the top six with Rishabh Pant batting at number six. Axar who will replace Nadeem may either bat at number seven or eight. This adds depth to their batting lineup. If Sundar is picked above Kuldeep, the batting line-up will be even more deeper with R Ashwin batting after the left-hander followed by the two pacers. As per reports, the only assured change is Axar coming in place of Nadeem, while Kuldeep-Sundar’s spot is hanging in the balance.
England, on the other hand, also have issues with team selection. Jofra Archer is ruled out of the second Test, which has opened up a few spots. James Anderson is reported to be rested from the next Test. This will come as good news in the Indian camp after he wreaked havoc with reverse swing in the second innings of the first Test. Jos Buttler too has returned home and Ben Foakes will don the gloves. The England spinners who bowled beautifully are expected to retain their spots.
Skipper Joe Root will again be the main man for England. He will be the glue around which the batting line-up will revolve. The absence of Buttler all the more emphasises Ben Stokes’ role down the order. His batting and fielding are obviously a big plus. Rory Burns and Dom Sibley provided them with a good start in the first innings and will be expected to do the same in the second. It will be interesting to see if England is tempted to play Moeen Ali in place of one of the spinners despite their good show in the first Test. Ali will also be useful with the bat down the order.
India vs England: Head To Head in India
Out of the 61 Tests played in India between both teams, India have won 19 while England 14. Meanwhile, 28 games have ended in a draw. The win at the Chepauk was the visitors’ 14th in India.
Pitch & Weather Conditions: India vs England 2nd Test
The pitch at the Chepauk was hugely criticised by England pacer Jofra archer for the way it played out in the first Test. The spinners picked up 24 wickets in total as compared to 16 by the pacers. Keeping the observations in mind, the TNCA curator has promised to prepare a pitch with more pace, bounce and carry in the second Test. So initially at least, pacers might get more purchase from the deck, while spinners could enjoy the bounce. But in all likelihood, it’s not going to be a rank turner.
Team News: India vs England 2nd Test
Axxar Patel is fit and available for selection for Team India. He will replace Shahbaz Nadeem in the XI. Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar will fight for a third spinner’s spot in the line-up. The Indian batting line-up is expected to stay the same.
Meanwhile, Jos Buttler has returned back home as part of England’s rotation policy. Ben Foakes will don the gloves. Jofra Archer is ruled out of the Test match and Anderson is expected to be rested as well.
Squads For India vs England 2nd Test
India
Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (Vice-Captain), KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Thakur
England
Dominic Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes, Moeen Ali, Jack Leach, Chris Woakes, Olly Stone, Stuart Broad
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