India vs England Second Test : Preview and Predicted Playing XI

England recorded a 37-run win against India at Birmingham to go 1-0 up in the five-game series. Team India will now look to bounce back to level the series 1-1 when they take on the hosts in the second a test match to be played from August 9 at the Lord's Cricket Ground in London. The win at Edgbaston was England's 44th test victory in 118 matches against India. While Men in Blue have won 25 of those games with 49 draws.

India : Men in Blue have lost just one out of the three test matches they have played this year. India beat South Africa by 63 runs in the final test of their three-match series in January. They then warmed up with a one-off test against newcomers Afghanistan and made light work of the test debutants as they posted 474 and then bowled their opponents out for 109 and 103 before coming into this away series against England. Though they faced a major blow ahead of the series as they missed the services of their two first-choice seam bowlers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah.

With the bat, Virat Kohli was in prolific form during the Edgbaston test and he will be the key man for visitors in the second test as well. The Indian skipper hit 149 and 51 in the respective innings. But other batsmen were not up to the mark which might be a matter of concern for the Men in Blue.

With the ball, there is little doubt Ravichandran Ashwin is India's star man. He picked up seven wickets in the first test and now has 44 in his last nine games. While Ishant Sharma ripped through England's middle-order with 5-51 in the second innings at Edgbaston. Mohammed Shami has 34 in his last eight, meanwhile Kuldeep's wicket-taking form in the T20 and ODI series could give him chance in the second Test.

Expected Playing XI: Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Dinesh Karthik, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Shikhar Dhawan or Cheteshwar Pujara, Murali Vijay and Lokesh Rahul.

England Cricket Team

England: England have been in poor form in the longest format of the game, but have now won their previous two tests at least, following up their innings victory against Pakistan with the pulsating 31-run win against India last time out.

With the bat, Joe Root top-scored with 80 runs in the first innings, While Jonny Bairstow and Keaton Jennings scored 70 and 42 respectively. But all the English batsmen failed miserably against the Indian bowlers in second innings which might be a matter of concern for the British as another flip won't help their cause.

With the ball, James Anderson picked up two wickets in each innings to take him to 38 in his last ten games, while Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes picked up 2 and 6 wickets respectively, and their performance could be key at the Lord's as well.

Sam Curran was England's star man in the first test, shining with both bat and ball to help England to victory and earning rave reviews from captain Joe Root. He claimed four wickets in the first innings and then hit a vital half-century in the second, his late-order runs proving the difference as England went on to claim victory.

Expected Playing XI: Joe Root (C), Jonny Bairstow, Ollie Pope, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Stuart Broad, Adil Rashid, James Anderson, Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings.