India vs England 2nd Test begins Wednesday, July 2 at Edgbaston in Birmingham with the visitors aiming to bounce back after a five-wicket loss in the opening game of the five-match series. While England have already announced an unchanged Playing XI for the second Test, India are still mulling over the choices that Shubman Gill-led team management will make. Jasprit Bumrah is likely to be rested for the second Test, making it even more difficult for Team India.
India's likely XI for 2nd Test
India played with three bowlers and two all-rounders in the first Test. Alongside Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna formed the bowling trio while Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur were the two all-rounders.
India failed to defend 371 in the first Test and that led to calls for the inclusion of an extra bowler into the side as the bowling lacked teeth. Now, with the uncertainty around Bumrah, the bowling looks even thinner on paper. Kuldeep Yadav's inclusion was heavily favoured by experts but as per the latest reports, the management is not looking to add the left-arm wrist-spinner into the Playing XI.
Instead, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy are reportedly in line to play the second Test. In the press conference ahead of the Edgbaston Test, Team India assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate had hinted at the inclusion of the all-rounder duo.
"We’re looking at ways of rejigging the puzzle so we can get a batting all-rounder in. And obviously, Nitish is our premium batting all-rounder at the moment. So I would say it’s a very good chance to play this Test," Doeschate had said.
"There is a very strong chance of playing two spinners. It’s just which two we play. All three spinners are bowling very nicely, while Washy is batting very nicely. So it is just about what combination. Do we go with an all-rounder spinner or a spinner? Then obviously you have to play the bowling all-rounder. So there’s so many different variables," he said.
"So again, we are trying to weigh the two options attacking-wise. But I’m pretty sure two spinners will play in this Test match," he added.
