India's Strongest playing XI for the 2nd test against England

India lost the first Test by a marginal 31 runs with every batsman in the team failing except for Virat Kohli, whose 149 in the first innings helped restrict England's lead to just 13 runs. His 51 in the second innings was the highest in the team again but he couldn't take the side across the line. Hardik Pandya almost won India the test before he was dismissed by Ben Stokes. Let's look at India's strongest playing 11 for the 2nd Test match.

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#1 Openers

Murali Vijay

In the first Test, none of India's openers did well with Shikhar Dhawan scoring more runs than Murali Vijay but he was the least comfortable against the swinging ball. KL Rahul couldn't get any runs and looked out of sorts but Murali Vijay looked comfortable from the first ball and got more runs than KL Rahul.

Rishabh Pant

A lot of people wouldn't expect to see Rishabh Pant this early in the series but he is in a brilliant from and in addition to that, during the India A tour of England he scored 299 runs including 3 fifties throughout the series, which is enough to show that he is completely at ease with the conditions in England. By adding him to the line-up, India will have a left-right opening pair and they will have an aggressive player in Pant and a more watchful player in Vijay.

Pant could make his Test debut

#2 Top order

Cheteshwar Pujara

Pujara has shown many times that he has it in him to be the successor to Rahul Dravid and his solid defensive technique will be useful in England. In addition to that, his average in England is one of the highest in the team. Even though his form has not been that good as of late his defensive technique is still strong as was seen in the South Africa tour.

Virat Kohli

Is there any question to be asked about the Indian skippers form? After a horrendous 2014 England tour in which he scored just 134 runs in the 10 innings that he batted in, he scored 200 runs on a surface where all other Indian batsmen were struggling in. He is now to the number one Test batsman in addition to his number 1 ranking in ODIs.

Kohli is India's saviour

#3 Middle order

Ajinkya Rahane

He could be the difference at Lord's

Even though Ajinkya Rahane couldn't contribute a lot with the bat in the first Test match he is still a very safe slip fielder who can hold on to catches. With the Indian slip cordon having trouble latching on to catches, his safe hands could turn the match around for them. His records in overseas matches warrants a place in the side

Dinesh Karthik (WK)

Dinesh Karthik's cameback after 7 years to the Test team was iffy and though he provided good company for Virat Kohli and supported him from the other end in the second innings, but he was unlucky to get dismissed shortly after the play on Day 4, adding 2 more runs to his tally of 18. He could be given another game.

Karthik failed to get going in the first match

#4 All rounder

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya's knock of 22 in the second innings might not seem brilliant on paper but he fought till the very end. He adjusted his batting technique along with Kohli almost took the team across the line. Even when Kohli was dismissed, Hardik kept India's hopes up. His bowling though was below par in the first innings and he did not bowl in the second innings.

#5 Bowlers

Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin was successful in the first Test

Ashwin took 7 wickets during the Test match and showed that even a spinner can be useful in these condition. He was a vital reason why India could restrict England to a chasable total. He took wickets of the entire English top order in the second innings, which led to England getting all out for 180 runs.

Ishant Sharma

Ishant Sharma is the most experienced player in the Indian pace attack. Although he doesn't have the pace that he used to possess anymore, he is still lethal with the ball and his 5 wickets in the second innings were instrumental in restricting England to a paltry total.

Ishant is India's go-to bowler

Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami was coming from a failed fitness test and serious allegations from his wife but bowled his heart out in the first innings with a brilliant show of lethal fast bowling at an extremely high pace, which gave him 3 wickets of the English batsman. He couldn't contribute with the bat though.

England v India: Specsavers 1st Test - Day Two

Umesh Yadav

With Jasprit Bumrah still unfit, Umesh Yadav is likely to keep his spot in the second Test.