IND vs ENG 2nd Test 2024: Expected Changes in Indian Test Squad for 2nd Test vs. England

Team India is likely to make a few changes to their lineup in the 2nd Test in Visakhapatnam. The home side suffered a loss in the 1st Test by 28 runs at Hyderabad. After the match, there were a couple of injuries. As a result, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul have been ruled out of the rest of the series due to their respective injuries.

While middle-order batter KL Rahul will be out due to a right quadriceps injury, on the other hand, all-rounder Jadeja will be out of the 2nd Test due to a hamstring injury. In turn, India announced the updated squad for the rest of the series against England.

Sarfaraz Khan, Washington Sundar, and Saurabh Kumar are added as replacements for the two experienced players in the Indian squad for the rest of the series. With two of India’s major players not available for India, the focus shifts to the players who might replace them.

1. KL Rahul is likely to be replaced by Sarfaraz Khan

The star batter batted from number 4 to 6 in recent times. Sarfaraz has been batting in similar positions for Mumbai for a long time. Sarfaraz has been in great form recently, smashing a phenomenal century against England Lions in a tour game for India A, scoring 161 runs off 160 balls, smashing 18 boundaries and five sixes. ‘Player of the Match’ was given to Sarfaraz Khan as India A beat England Lions by an innings and 16 runs in Ahmedabad.

The 26-year-old, who has a first-class average of 69.85, has scored 3692 runs in just in only 63 innings in 43 red ball matches. Sarfaraz has the highest score of 301* in first-class cricket. He has a great Ranji record under his belt too. Sarfaraz has an average of 81.13 among the active players and is best for a batter who has played over 25 matches.

2. Shubman Gill is likely to be replaced by Rajat Patidar

There is a huge possibility of Shubman Gill being dropped from the Test side, given the failure of the star batter in the longest format of the game in the last three years.

In the place of Gill, Rajat Patidar can come in as a top-order batter. Rajat Patidar’s first-class average of 45. the Madhya Pradesh batsman has form on his side, having notched up two centuries, scores of 111 and 151, against the England Lions earlier this month.

Patidar has also proven his temperament with his success in the IPL. And even though one might feel that IPL experience shouldn’t matter much in Test squad selection, the Indian Cricket Board selectors and the current management have picked players in the past in the Test team who have shown the temperament to handle the pressure and international bowlers in the IPL.

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3. Washington Sundar can come in place of Ravindra Jadeja

All-rounder Jadeja will be out of the 2nd Test due to a hamstring injury. In the place of Ravindra Jadeja, there is almost a similar player who can be replaced. Washinton Sundar is likely to come in for Jadeja as an All-Rounder.

The off-spin-bowling All-Rounder has been impressive in the Test matches he has played till now, Especially his performance in Australia will be remembered for a long time. It has been nearly three years since Sundar last played a Test match for India, which can be a concern. But the Tamil Nadu player would be looking forward to his chance.