Indian skipper Virat Kohli is eyeing to turn things around for his team when he takes on Joe Root’s men in the second Test in Chennai. India lost the first Test by 227 runs and are trailing in the series 0-1. They have also dropped down the WTC points table to the fourth position after the loss. England, meanwhile are topping the table. Kohli scored a defiant 72 with the bat in the second innings but ran out of partners in his vigil to save the Test for his team.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli is on the cusp of overtaking former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting in an elite list. If Kohli gets a ton, he would be crossing Ponting in the list of captains with most international hundreds. It would be Kohli’s 42nd international ton as captain, the highest by any player in the world. Overall, it would be Kohli’s 71st international hundred.
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Virat Kohli Close To Toppling Ricky Ponting
Currently, both Kohli & Ponting are tied with 41 international centuries as captain. One more will give Kohli the lead and he will become the captain to have the most international tons to his name.
Meanwhile, England have named a 12-man squad for the second Test. While Jofra Archer has been dropped from the second Test, James Anderson has been rested. Jos Buttler has flew back home as a part of England’s rotation policy. Ben Foakes will don the gloves in his place. Jonny Bairstow will be available for selection for the final two Test matches.
Team India also have selection headaches ahead of the second test. Axar Patel is fit and available for selection. Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar will fight for the third spinner’s spot. Shabaz Nadeem has been dropped from the squad for this Test. He is a part of the reserves after being the most expensive Indian bowler in the first test.
According to a member of the ground staff, the surface is expected to have more bounce and carry. 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, for which it was hugely criticised in the first Test.
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