Ind vs Eng 2nd Test: Sanjay Manjrekar picks India Playing XI; makes surprise omissions
New Delhi: Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has picked his India Playing XI for the second Test against England. And there are big surprises in it.
The opening Test of the five-match series between the sides ended in a draw as the fifth and final day was completely washed out in Nottingham. India needed 157 runs on the final day with nine wickets in hand. However, not a single delivery was bowled due to rain.
Now, the action shifts to Lord’s, London, and the second contest begins on August 12.
Manjrekar, who is part of the Sony Sports Network for the Test series, made his choice of XI on the channel. He has included an extra batsman in Hanuma Vihari and also picked Ravichandran Ashwin in place of Ravindra Jadeja.
In the opening Test, India surprised all by dropping Ashwin and going in with Jadeja. Captain Virat Kohli and the team management picked Jadeja for his batting and the left-hander delivered with a half-century.
“I will like to bring in Ashwin, who I feel was dropped wrongly in the first match. I am bringing a bowler who has greater chances of taking wickets on a good pitch. I will play three seamers – Shami, Bumrah. I don’t know if Ishant is fit but I will go with Siraj because he has the capability to take five wickets,” Manjrekar said.
The former right-hand batsman has also dropped Shardul Thakur and has gone in with only four bowlers instead of the five picked for the first Test at Trent Bridge.
After the first Test, Kohli had hinted at going in with a similar combination of four bowlers and one all-rounder for the remainder of the series. "Most likely it will be a template going ahead (4-1 combination), but we’ve always been adaptable as well, to the conditions and pace of the wicket. It’s going to be an exciting series to be a part of, as India-England always is," he had said.
UPDATE: Play has been abandoned. ☹️
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 8, 2021
The first #ENGvIND Test at Trent Bridge ends in a draw.
We will see you at Lord's for the second Test, starting on August 12. #TeamIndia
Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/TrX6JMzP9A pic.twitter.com/k9G7t1WiaB
Sanjay Manjrekar’s Playing XI: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj.
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