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India will take on England in the 2nd Test of the Paytm Test series on Saturday, 13th February, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The Men In Blue will look to bounce back after suffering a massive 227-run defeat at England's hands in the first Test in Chennai.
The game will be played at the same venue as the first Test, albeit on a different playing surface.
India struggled to bowl England out in the first innings after losing the toss, with many fans and pundits questioning Shahbaz Nadeem's selection ahead of Kuldeep Yadav.
Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma's lackluster outings in the first Test have received some criticism, and they'll look to make a strong comeback in this game. Rishabh Pant's flourish in the first innings and Kohli's return to form in the second are some of the positives India can take from the game.
Meanwhile, England continued their outstanding run of form in subcontinent conditions, building on their series win against Sri Lanka. Skipper Joe Root starred with the bat in both innings, while Dominic Bess, Jack Leach, and James Anderson all delivered with the ball at different stages of the game.
They'll miss the services of Jos Buttler, though, who's set to return home ahead of the second Test.
With a place in the World Test Championship Final on the line, both teams will be determined to secure a victory in this second Test. Fans can expect another cracking encounter between these two sides.
Match details
Date: February 13- 17, 2021 (Saturday- Wednesday).
Time: 09:30 AM (IST), 04:00 AM (GMT).
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
Weather Report
The weather conditions for the second Test should remain similar to the first Test. No rain is expected on any of the five days, with an average temperature of 30 degrees celsius.
Pitch Report
While this match will be played on a different surface from the first Test, it should behave similarly. Spinners should come into the game from the third day, while scoring big in the first innings will be of prime importance.
Predicted XIs
India
One of Kuldeep Yadav or Axar Patel (provided he's fit) is likely to replace Shahbaz Nadeem for India. The Men In Blue might give Rahane and Rohit Sharma another opportunity, although KL Rahul does stand an outside chance of making it to the playing XI.
India: Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma/ KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (WK), Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel /Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ishant Sharma.
England
England shouldn't tinker with their winning combination too much. Ben Foakes should replace Jos Buttler as the only change for them.
England: Dominic Sibley, Rory Burns, Joe Root (C), Ben Stokes, Daniel Lawrence, Ben Foakes (WK), Ollie Pope, Dom Bess, Jack Leach, Jofra Archer, and James Anderson.
Match prediction
Given their great home record, it shouldn't take too long for India to find their footing, and they'll look to fight back hard in the 2nd Test. Virat Kohli's side are likely to level the series 1-1 despite England's impressive performance in the 1st Test.
TV and live streaming details
TV: Star Sports Network.
Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar VIP.
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