On Friday, February 2, the second Test between India and England is scheduled to start in Visakhapatnam. After a thrilling 28-run victory in the first Test in Hyderabad, the tourists hold a vital 1-0 lead in the series.
Both captains made several alterations to their respective playing XIs known at the toss. England added two players, while India made three alterations. Due to injuries, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja were unable to participate in the second test. In the meantime, bowler Mohammed Siraj has been rested in order to control his workload, and Mukesh Kumar has taken his position, according to Rohit Sharma.
England made no changes to the playing lineup that they revealed on Thursday. James Anderson, a seasoned player, took over for Mark Wood, and Jack Leach, a rookie, took over for him.
The gifted Rajat Patidar was included in the playing XI, meaning that the hosts would also have a debutante in their ranks. The legendary Zaheer Khan gave him his first test cap. After 13 months, Kuldeep Yadav, who is also on the team, will play in a Test match.
For those who don’t know, KL Rahul was left off the squad for the second test after complaining of discomfort in his right quadriceps. On the other hand, Jadeja hurt his hamstring during play on the fourth day of the Hyderabad Test. Leach, meanwhile, was declared out of selection after sustaining a knee injury during the first test.
At the toss, what did the captains say?
After winning the toss, Rohit decided to bat first. In the second Test, he asked his side to put the Hyderabad loss behind them and carry out their game plan. Ben Stokes, the captain of England, said that if he had won the toss, he would have similarly chosen to bat first. Although he stressed living in the moment, he stated that the team is entering this game with a lot of confidence following the Hyderabad outcome.
Rohit Sharma: To start, we’ll bat. It appears like a decent pitch, and it will work itself out. We just need to play good cricket. We must move on from the events in Hyderabad; they are the past. After discussing the necessary actions, it is now time to carry out our ideas. Although we didn’t have the same intention, I believed we batted well in the early innings.
Ollie Pope produced a superb knock with the bowl in the second inning as well. We have the guys sitting on the bench because of injuries, which are an inevitable part of the game. Two unforced (which actually meant forced) changes: Siraj has been rested, and Jadeja and KL are left out. Rajat Patidar, Kuldeep, and Mukesh are all making their debuts.
Ben Stokes: I also would have batted. Last week was fantastic, but we all know India will make a strong comeback. It was incredibly satisfying to come from behind as we did. We’ll use that as motivation, but it’s a new week. For the boys, it’s an incredible atmosphere to play in. Receiving this kind of opportunity so early in their profession will boost their self-esteem greatly. Shoaib Bashir and James Anderson are the two replacements for Jack Leach and Mark Wood.
India
