Here are five factors to look forward to on Day 1 of the second Test between India and England at Lord's.
Team India will lock horns with England at Lord's in the second Test of the five-match series from Thursday. Virat Kohli and his men will look to level things up at the Home of Cricket after the hosts registered a 31-run victory at Edgbaston, Birmingham, last week.
There's a lot to look forward to on the opening day of the second Test. The first match might not have ended in a draw, but it'll take a brave person to say that England were the better team. Both sides had their moments last week, but there are plenty of problem areas that skipper Kohli and his English counterpart Joe Root need to address.
Here are five factors to look forward to on Day 1 of the second Test between India and England:
1. Indian batting changes
2. Indian bowling changes
3. Ben Stokes factor
4. Ollie Pope debut
5. Pitch/Weather condition
Now let's take a more detailed look at these factors:
1. Cheteshwar Pujara
)
Pujara's inclusion in India's playing XI has been a matter of much debate since before the start of the series. With the visitors' batting letting them down in the first Test, there are good chances of Pujara taking the field on Thursday. If that is to happen, the right-hander will likely replace one of the three following players.
(Image: Reuters)
2. Shikhar Dhawan
)
Dhawan, described once by the great Sunil Gavaskar as the team's bali ka bakra (scapegoat), is always on red alert. However, even as Sunny might disagree, there's a reason for it. The left-hander's weakness against the moving ball is no secret, his technique in overseas conditions simply doesn't inspire confidence. Dhawan's performance in the first Test wasn't the worst among the batters (26 and 13), but he didn't do enough to guarantee himself a spot going forward.
(Image: PTI)
3. KL Rahul
)
Rahul came into the series in good form, but his dismissals (4 and 13) in the first Test, especially in the first innings, raised a cause for concern. There's no denying the right-hander's exceptional talent, but with Pujara waiting in the wings, he could have to make a premature exit.
(Image: AFP)
4. Ajinkya Rahane
)
Although he's the vice-captain of the team, Rahane's spot in India's playing XI for the second Test could be in doubt. He looked clueless for the most part at Edgbaston, with scores of 15 and 2. The Mumbaikar had scored a hundred the last time India played a Test at Lord's, but he's surely not the same batsman at the moment. Kohli had shocked many when he dropped Rahane for the first two Tests in South Africa earlier this year. Don't be surprised if he does it again.
(Image: PTI)
5. Umesh Yadav
)
Coming to India's bowling, the dry wicket at Lord's could mean the visitors play Ravichandran Ashwin and one other spinner. If they were to do that, Umesh Yadav seems the most likely candidate to face the axe. The right-arm quick got just three wickets in the first Test. Although Mohammed Shami got the same number of scalps, he definitely looked more dangerous than Umesh. Ishant Sharma, of course, will keep his place thanks to his second-innings five-for in Birmingham.
(Image: PTI)
6. Kuldeep Yadav
)
Kuleep Yadav was arguably the most talked about player going into the series. His exploits during the white-ball leg of the tour led many to call for his inclusion in India's Test team as well. But the management rightly stuck with Ashwin, and the veteran off-spinner delivered seven wickets. Now, with the conditions likely to be more favourable for spinners at Lord's, Kuldeep's participation seems all the more certain.
(Image: PTI)
7. Ravindra Jadeja
)
Even if the Lord's wicket is conducive for tweakers, Kuldeep's participation isn't guaranteed because of the presence of Jadeja. The seasoned left-arm spinner has proven his mettle on dry wickets on multiple occasions. His batting and fielding prowess could help tilt the balance in his favour.
(Image: PTI)
8. Ben Stokes
)
Stokes is the finest all-rounder in the world at the moment. Not many would argue with that. He's fit and in form too. Thus, England would be gutted at having to play without him at Lord's. Stokes didn't make an impact with the bat in the first Test, but his phenomenal spell in India's second innings, which included the wicket of the one-man army Kohli, proved to be decisive. He has to skip the second Test because of the court proceedings in Bristol. Team India, of course, won't be complaining.
(Image: Reuters)
9. Ollie Pope
)
Pope is one of the brightest young talents in England at the moment. The 20-year-old amassed 664 runs in just his second season in Division One of the County Championship. The middle-order Surrey batsman averages 85.50 in the ongoing County season, and has smashed three hundreds and a half-century. He has impressed by reaching the 1000-run mark in just 15 first-class matches for domestic side Surrey. Pope will replace Dawid Malan in England's playing XI at Lord's, and there'll surely be a lot of eyes on him.
(Image: Reuters)
10. Lord's Cricket Ground
)
The weather in London has been unpredictable through the past couple of days. There has been bright sunshine, followed by spells of thundershower. If it were to get cloudy during India's batting, everyone's well aware of what the consequences could be. On the other hand, if the wicket is as dry as it's expected to be, the Indian spinners could prove to be the difference. The strip at Edgbaston was simply brilliant. It had something in it for batsmen, pacers and spinners. Let's hope, for the sake of the game, that the Home of Cricket can offer the same balance.
(Image: Twitter @HomeOfCricket)
