Xtra Time Web Desk: Indian team led by Virat Kohli will look to brush aside the disappointment of not being able to win the first test against England at Trent Bridge. Both sides will go head to head against each other in the second test which starts on Thursday at Lords. There are injury concerns for both sides going into the second test match with Shardul Thakur injuring his hamstring while Stuart Broad also being ruled out with an injury to right calf muscle.
Shardul’s injury sees experienced off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin back in the mix. Ashwin, who was dropped from the playing XI in the drawn opening game in Nottingham, is back in the reckoning. Kohli might have to revisit his 4-1 bowling combination which can’t be cast in stone considering the lean nature of his team’s lower-order batting.
London has been recording a maximum temperature of 24 degrees with average temperature around 14 degrees. It would be interesting to see if England retains a green top like it did in 2018 when Indian batting collapsed twice in two days and all-rounder Chris Woakes walked away with the honours.
In case the pitch is on the drier side, there could be a possibility in playing both Ashwin and Jadeja, who can trouble this brittle England batting line-up with different variations. For the India skipper, if four pacers are non-negotiable, then one among Ishant Sharma or Umesh Yadav will be straightaway replacing Thakur but the choice might not be that easy.
Meanwhile, KL Rahul would like to consolidate his position at the top of the order even though Mayank Agarwal is available for selection. While batting order might not be tinkered with, but Agarwal’s fitness could also make Rahul an option in the middle-order, where he personally prefers batting. While both Pujara and Rahane are not in the best of form of late, they will only be replaced in the likely event of a last-minute injury.
England too have problems of plenty with the top order failing once again. There is every possibility that Rory Burns could be replaced by Haseeb Hameed, who scored a hundred opening the innings for the Combined Counties against Indians in the tour game last month. Ollie Pope too can make a comeback if he passes a fitness test. The injury to Stuart Broad might see a forced change in the bowling attack. In case the pitch offers some assistance, Moeen Ali might be included in playing XI or else fast bowler Mark Wood will fill the spot. Lancashire seamer Saqib Mahmood has been added to the squad.