India v West Indies 2018: 3 Indian cricketers who might make their Test debut in the second Test

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Mohammed Siraj should be selected for the second Test

India should tweak their playing XI a little bit in the second Test.

The mammoth gulf in calibre between India and Windies were known to all and was highlighted at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot, where India won the first Test of the two-match series by a margin that is a bit of a rarity - an innings and 272 runs.

India's domination proved that the Windies need to find a solution to their rapidly declining stature, and they need to change quite a few things soon.

India, on the contrary, should also consider a bit of shuffling, not out of compulsion but by choice. Without any disrespect to the side, Windies are looking nowhere near a side that can intimidate India, and the men in blue should take this opportunity to try some new players.

Teenage debutant Prithvi Shaw scored a magnificent century in the first Test, and if provided with a chance, other talented cricketers sitting in the dressing room and waiting for their Test shirt can also leave their mark. Let us have a look at three players who might debut in Test in the second Test:

#3 Mayank Agarwal

ECB XI v India A - Tour Match
Mayank Agarwal's exemplary form earned him a national
call up
and can now get him his debut

Mayank Agarwal is not a cricketer who found it easy to get in the Indian team. He fought against all odds and kept on delivering commendable knocks. Making consistency his forte, the Karnataka-born lad kept on knocking at the selectors' doors, which was finally opened to him a few days back.

Agarwal has now found a place in the Indian Test squad but still has not got his debut cap, which might be on his way. Indian opener KL Rahul didn't have a great time in England, and against a much weaker opponent like Windies, he failed to open his account. Hence, 12th October might be the day when the 27-year-old from Bengaluru score his first runs for his nation.

#2 Shardul Thakur

6th Momentum ODI: South Africa v India
Thakur has impressed in limited overs cricket but is yet to be tested in the longest format of the game

Unlike the previous mention, Shardul Thakur is not a complete stranger to Indian cricket or its fans. He has represented India 7 times in ODIs and has played a couple of matches less if T20Is are concerned. He is a pacer which the Indian team management thinks can do wonders in the future, and given his performances thus far, there's no reason to believe why he can't.

However, there can be no better way to test the character of a cricketer than Test matches and hence Thakur can be used for the second Test. Amongst the 20 wickets India took in the first Test, only three came from pacers and hence Virat Kohli can try out a new pace duo in Thakur and Siraj.

#1 Mohammed Siraj

Like Shaw, a lot is expected from Mohammed Siraj
Like Shaw, a lot is expected from Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj's story of a fairytale rise was widespread when he impressed in the Indian Premier League for Sunrisers Hyderabad. It was then when many pundits saw him in the future Indian lineup, and that future is now. With all his pace and accuracy, the selectors found him too tempting a bowling option to miss.

But he had to sit in the dressing room as skipper Kohli went with the experienced duo of Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav. Now that India have taken a lead and are looking comfortable against their highly vulnerable opposition, Siraj might be awarded with an Indian Test cap in Hyderabad.

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Edited by Aadya Sharma