Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul will be absent from Team India for the upcoming second Test against England in Visakhapatnam, scheduled to commence on February 2. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that Jadeja sustained a hamstring injury during the fourth day of the first Test in Hyderabad, while Rahul complained of pain in his right quadriceps. This setback for India prompted the inclusion of Sarfaraz Khan, Saurabh Kumar, and Washington Sundar in the squad.
Saurabh Kumar, a left-arm spinner from Uttar Pradesh with a commendable first-class record, had previously been part of the Indian Test squad for the Bangladesh tour in December 2022. Despite not making his debut yet, his recent form, including a five-wicket haul in India A’s victory over England Lions, earned him the call-up. Sarfaraz Khan, known for his prolific first-class performances, boasting an average of 69.85 with 14 centuries in 45 games, also joins the squad.
The absence of Jadeja and Rahul and Virat Kohli’s withdrawal for personal reasons leave India facing a considerable challenge to recover from their 28-run defeat in the first Test. Jadeja, a key all-rounder, contributed with both bat and ball in Hyderabad, while Rahul scored 86 in India’s first innings.
The task of replacing Jadeja, especially given his stellar all-round record since 2016, averaging over 40 with the bat and under 25 with the ball in 53 Test matches, poses a significant challenge. Washington Sundar, who has performed well with the bat in his four Test matches but lacks Jadeja’s bowling workload, may be considered for a like-for-like replacement. However, India might opt for a frontline spinner to replace Jadeja, with Kuldeep Yadav being a likely candidate due to his attacking left-arm wrist-spin.
India team for second Test against England
India’s preferred XI also includes spin-bowling allrounders R Ashwin and Axar Patel. Therefore, Kuldeep Yadav, with an impressive Test record and recent Player of the Match honors, is likely to feature in the playing XI. The updated squad for the second Test includes Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Washington Sundar, and Saurabh Kumar.
Thank you for reading.
