India's Playing XI For 2nd Test Against England Revealed? Practice Pictures Show...

NDTV

10 hours ago

There has been a lot of chatter surrounding India's playing XI for the second Test match against England. Following the loss at Headingley, both fans and experts have been calling for changes with Nitish Kumar Reddy emerging as a top choice. Experts suggested Reddy's name in place of all-rounder Shardul Thakur while Kuldeep Yadav 's inclusion was also discussed at length following India's disappointing start to the series. While nothing official has been communicated from the team's side, pictures of practice sessions have left fans intrigued.
A picture posted by RevSportz on X (formerly Twitter) showed Karun Nair, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy forming the slip cordon while Yashasvi Jaiswal practised at leg slip and short leg. The inclusion of Reddy in the slip cordon was considered to be a massive indication while questions remained over Jasprit Bumrah 's availability.
Meanwhile, Australia legend Greg Chappell believes India paid the price for a lack of variety in their bowling attack during the first Test against England and has called for the inclusion of Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav, whom he hails as the "best wrist-spinner since Shane Warne", in the playing XI.
India lost the opening Test of the five-match series by five wickets at Headingley, where they were also guilty of dropping as many as eight catches.
"As disappointing as the fielding in Headingley was, it was not the main reason India lost the Test. Most of India's problems were self-inflicted. Perhaps the most expensive error was the no-ball that gave Harry Brook an early life in the second innings," Chappell wrote in his column for 'ESPNCricinfo'.
However, the former Australian skipper felt that the sameness of India's right-arm seamers -- Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Shardul Thakur -- posed a bigger tactical problem that the fielding issue.
"More concerning to me, though, is the lack of variety in the bowling attack. Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, India's seamers are too similar - all right-arm, medium-fast, operating at comparable angles.
"There is a reason why wickets often fall after a change of bowling. It forces the batter to recalibrate. That variability isn't available to Shubman Gill with his current crop."