Chennai: After a dismal performance in the first game resulting in a massive 227 run defeat, India lock horns with England in the second Test at the MM Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday (February 13) with hopes to revive the series.
The Men in Blue struggled quite a lot put brakes on visitors first innings total, while many putting their fingers on the selection of Shahbaz Nadeem ahead of Axar Patel.
Though,Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane both failed to make an impact resulting in the hosts’ inability to build some sort of resilience, they will look to bounce back strongly.However, the swashbuckling Rishabh Pant and the returning skipper Virat Kohli’s performance has injected some sort of positive vibes into the India’s hopes.
Meanwhile, England have continued their superb run of form in the subcontinent in the first test. England’s talismanic skipper Joe Root’s blistering batting in both innings powered the side’s victory, while the likes of Dominic Bess, Jack Leach, and James Anderson all contributed with the ball fairly well. However, indications are there Anderson will be rested.
Jos Buttler, who’s set to return home will miss the second Test along with star pacer Jofra Archer. Despite that, England have enough in their tank repeat the same. With a place in the World Test Championship Final on the line, both teams look to fire things up which can give the another cracking encounter between these two heavyweights.
Predicted XIs
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma
England: Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley, Joe Root (C), Daniel Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Moeen Ali, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Olly Stone
