India will look to bounce back from their defeat in Leeds when they lock horns with England in the second Test of the five-match series. Edgbaston will host the contest, which is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, July 2.
There has been a ton of talk regarding the visitors' ideal team combination for the second Test. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate and captain Shubman Gill didn't give much away in the pre-match press conference, leaving fans and experts alike to speculate. However, there are a few indications that suggest the kind of approach India might take.
India's squad for the Test series vs England: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk/vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana.
On that note, here is India's predicted playing XI for the second Test against England.
Openers: KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal
There'll be no changes to the opening combination, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul taking first strike. The duo did exceedingly well at Headingley and will want to continue their good form.
Middle Order: B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar
Sai Sudharsan bagged a duck in the first innings and couldn't stick around for long enough in the second essay, marking a slightly underwhelming debut. However, the left-hander surely cannot be dropped after just one Test, given his obvious talent and class.
Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, who are in excellent nick, form the backbone of the Indian middle order. Following them will be Ravindra Jadeja, whose recent form has been a bit disappointing. Jadeja, however, is a huge asset to have in both departments.
Karun Nair's comeback didn't go to plan, and India might want to give themselves a fourth pace option by fielding Nitish Kumar Reddy. Ten Doeschate also claimed that India will look to play two spinners, and Washington Sundar's batting ability could give him an edge over Kuldeep Yadav.
Kuldeep is arguably the better choice, but under Gautam Gambhir, India have prioritized having depth even in red-ball cricket. Sundar has done well in Test cricket and might be entrusted with the role.
Lower Order: Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj
Jasprit Bumrah has been declared available for the Edgbaston Test, and despite some speculation around his participation, he could be in line to feature. If not, Akash Deep could replace the ace spearhead.
Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj didn't cover themselves in glory in the opening Test of the series, but they are expected to retain their places in the playing XI. Arshdeep Singh, as a result, could continue to be confined to the sidelines.
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Edited by Sai Krishna