IND vs ENG 2nd Test: Five players who can make an impact at Edgbaston

Indian Express

20 hours ago

IND vs ENG: India will take on England in the second Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Wednesday. The visitors have lost the first Test in Leeds and will look to level the series. The conditions at this venue will be different from what has been witnessed at Leeds. The Indian Express looks at the five players who need to make an impact to improve their side's chances of winning the game.
The young Mumbai opener, since making his debut in the West Indies in 2023, has risen rapidly and become one of the key components in the Indian batting order. Once again it is the responsibility is on his shoulders to see off the shine of the new ball intially and also to provide that sucker punch from time to time unsettling the lines and lenghts of the England bowlers.
While T20 has not been Pant's strongest suit, as soon as the ball's colour turns red, Pant unleashes the potential he is known for. The vice-captain of the side on his third England tour is amongst the senior batters in the side, and the unpredictability in his innings construction can put off any bowling attack, as England found out in Leeds when the left-hander scored two centuries in two innings.
With Jasprit Bumrah likely to miss out on the game, as reported by this paper earlier, Siraj becomes the spearhead of the attack. Although he did have a poor game in the first Test on his day, he can run through the opposition when he has something to work with on the pitch and finds his rhythm. For Indian bowling to do well, Siraj has to bowl well.
The English talisman has scored 920 runs at the venue at an average of 70.71. He is the top scorer on this ground. Although he missed out in the first innings at Headingly on a flat deck, he did score a timely half-century to help England get over the line, supporting Ben Duckett's ton. With Bumrah likely to miss out on the game, India needs to come up with a method to keep Root quiet on a ground where he has a habit of churning runs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
It might have been a while since Archer has played a game in red-ball, but he still can be quite lethal when he gets it right, and like Bumrah, can make things happen when there is not much help. However, he will be able to adjust to the rhythms of bowling 20 overs a day and keep the pace up through all his spells can only be known once he steps onto the field.