India vs England 2nd test scheduled Playing 11

“Yes, (the tone) looks completely different. I’m sure it will change from day 1, but again, as I said before the first test match, you have to wait and see how it is played in the first session and start from there, ”Ajinkya Rahane said in conference of party press.

Will Chepauk’s field for the second test live up to the expectations of the management of the Indian team? Wait and see, but the hosts are no longer bringing the surface out of the equation. Under pressure, they are apparently resorting to their old formula of turning opponents into turners.

There is nothing wrong with maximizing your home advantage. On the other hand, this Indian team has often boasted that they are never bothered by conditions, at home or away. “Our philosophy has been bhaad mein gaya pitch (to hell with the pitch),” said head coach Ravi Shastri a couple of seasons ago, after winning a series of tests at home against South Africa. A brilliantly prepared England seems to have shaken confidence.

Table of Contents
Precedent in history
Feeling the absence of Jadeja
Make the task harder for them
Four changes

Precedent in history

Further investigation would reveal that in recent years in local series, India has adopted the twist hit template on square spinners whenever they were under pressure. In 2016, after England finished the first round in Rajkot stronger on a very good course, India played in a round at Vizag, winning the second by 246 runs. Not that the Indian hitters scored en masse in that game. Centuries of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli, and a cameo by Ravichandran Ashwin in the early innings proved to be the difference. The Indian spinners outscored their English counterparts in skill and bowling in a 4-0 series victory. Rajkot had unleashed the “spin aggression.”

Something similar happened a year later, when Australia won the first event in Pune. In fact, it was a case where a range changer failed and the little-known Steve O’Keefe defeated the Indian spinners. Normalcy returned thereafter with India’s 2-1 series victory.

Feeling the absence of Jadeja

Joe Root’s England is brilliantly prepared this season. Also, they have found a crack in the armor of India. Usually at home, India smothers her opponents with a relentless twist from both ends. But Ravindra Jadeja’s injury has created a hole, putting pressure on Ashwin to carry the team’s spinning attack unaided. Made England’s job a lot easier on the first test, especially the first two days when the field was sleeping. Root and Co wore down Ashwin and capitalized on the profligacy of Shahbaz Nadeem and Washington Sundar. Axar Patel is fit and will replace Nadeem for the second test. Style wise, Axar is the closest Indian cricket you can offer as a replacement for Jadeja right now. But the 27-year-old has yet to play test cricket and his effectiveness at this level is unknown.

Kuldeep Yadav for Washington would be an attacking option, as long as the Chinese bowler is making the ball fly off the surface. The change, however, is fraught with risks. During seven Tests on the rebound now, India has failed to post a total of more than 400 in one inning. Time and time again, they’ve been rescued by the lower-middle order, be it the partnership between Washington and Shardul Thakur in Brisbane or the elegant 85 of the first that didn’t come out in the first innings of the first test here. Kohli has made it clear that the team wants bowlers who can also contribute the bat. It would be difficult to replace Washington without upsetting the balance of the team.

Kuldeep Yadav could return. (BCCI)

Make the task harder for them

Regression from the field and a lack of discipline in bowling have made things worse. A total of 31 catches were reduced in Australia in all formats. The fact that India was still fighting back to beat the Australians in their backyard spoke volumes for the team’s determination and strength of character under Rahane’s captaincy. What happened in Australia, however, was a departure from the norm. In addition, Australia was equally relaxed on the field. In the first test, a narrow chance of a dead-end very early in the Root innings on the first day followed by a couple of lives for Ben Stokes proved costly. England, on the other hand, organized an impressive catching exhibition; from Root to Stokes and James Anderson. During the two innings of the first test, India also threw 27 no balls.

Rahane admitted that in Indian conditions, close catches are crucial. “We are really working hard on what we can control. In India, close catches are really important and sometimes these things happen. Nobody does it intentionally, it’s about how confident you are. The close catches are really important, ”he said.

On non-balls, the vice-captain of India stayed away from public criticism of bowlers. “We were all disappointed by the non-balls and they are working very hard.”

England showed in the first test that it was prepared to take advantage of the slightest opportunity. Regardless of the conditions on the field, India will have to be at the top of their game. This Indian team is good enough to come back from setbacks, but based on the performance of the tourists in the first game of the series, this time they probably had their match.

Four changes

In the meantime, as Root said, England would make four changes: Jos Buttler, Dom Bess, Anderson and the injured Jofra Archer to be replaced by either Stuart Broad, Ben Foakes, Moeen Ali and Olly Stone or Chris Woakes. A rank change can excite Moeen. The off-spinner’s record against India (41 wickets in 12 events, including two out of five fors) is a good indicator.

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