ENG vs IND: Virat Kohli hints India's 2nd Test Playing XI Combination

After the first Test match ended in a draw, Team India and England will now head to Lord’s for the second Test match of the series. The visitors were spot on with their bowling combination in the first game with every bowler providing crucial breakthroughs during the important phases. With the second Test set to begin from 12th August, it remains to be seen whether the Virat Kohli-led side will continue with the same combination or not.

Virat Kohli hints at bowling combination for the second Test against England

The Indian team surprised everyone with a bold decision and left out R Ashwin, picking Ravindra Jadeja as the only spinner and Shardul Thakur as the fourth pacer in their playing XI for the first Test.

Both Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur justified their selections. The southpaw scored a crucial half-century in the first innings to help India take a lead while the seam-bowling all-rounder provided his team with crucial breakthroughs in both innings, taking 4 wickets in the match.

When asked during the post-match presentation if the team will persist with the 4-1 combination, Indian skipper Virat Kohli admitted that it will be a template going ahead in the series but they’ve always been adaptable and will adapt as per the conditions.

“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,” Virat Kohli said.

ENG vs IND: What happened in the first Test match between England and India?

England won the toss and opted to bat at Nottingham. The hosts’ displayed a poor batting performance and were bundled out for just 183 runs in the first innings, with skipper Joe Root scoring half-century. For India, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami were the pick of the bowlers and shared seven wickets between them.

In reply, Team India rode on the KL Rahul’s 84 runs, Ravindra Jadeja’s 56 and handy contributions from the tail posted a first-innings total of 278 runs, with an overall lead of 95 runs. Ollie Robinson took 5/85 and James Anderson took a four-wicket haul and went past Anil Kumble’s tally of 617 wickets.

In the second essay, the home side displayed a better batting performance and on account of Joe Root’s 21st Test century posted a total of 303 runs, setting visitors a target of 209 runs. Jasprit Bumrah once again shined with the ball and took a five-wicket haul. Chasing the target, the Virat Kohli-led side were 52/1 until the rain played the spoilsport and washed out the entire Day 5 and the game ended in a draw.

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