India's Probable Playing 11 For IND vs ENG 2nd Test In Vizag

The 2nd India vs England Test is scheduled to begin on February 3 (Friday) in Visakhapatnam, with the spotlight firmly on India's playing XI due to the absence of Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul.

India bowler Jasprit Bumrah (left) chatting with captain Rohit Sharma (centre) as Ravi Ashwin (right) looks on during day 3 of the 1st IND vs ENG Test Match on January 27, 2024 in Hyderabad, India

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Following the disappointing loss in the Hyderabad Test against England, the Indian cricket team faced additional challenges as their middle-order batter, KL Rahul, and all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, were ruled out of the upcoming Visakhapatnam Test scheduled to commence on February 2 (Friday) due to quadriceps and hamstring injuries, respectively. The injuries to KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja will force the Indian team management to make adjustments in their playing XI.

In the absence of Virat Kohli, Rahul played a pivotal role in the middle order in the series opener in Hyderabad, and Jadeja demonstrated his all-round abilities with five wickets and a crucial 87 in the first innings.Deprived of the services of both Rahul and Jadeja for the second Test, the Indian team management faces the challenge of coming up with a balanced Playing XI. With the introduction of Sarfaraz Khan, Washington Sundar, and Saurabh Kumar to the squad by the selectors, the management must make strategic decisions to find the right combination for the upcoming fixture. 

Sarfaraz Khan's Maiden Call-up

The recent inclusion of middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan in the Indian squad marks his maiden call-up to the national team, owing to his consistent performances in First-Class cricket. Sarfaraz showcased his prowess with a century for India A against England Lions at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. With KL Rahul ruled out, Sarfaraz Khan is a potential candidate to step in and make his test debut in the Visakhapatnam Test, offering a promising addition to India's playing XI.

In response to the injury to Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar has been named as the replacement in the Indian squad for the second test against England in Visakhapatnam, and he is anticipated to directly fill in Jadeja's spot in the playing XI as well. Sundar is considered a like-for-like replacement, given his ability to make contributions both with the bat and the ball. Having last played a test for India in March 2021 against England in Ahmedabad, this marks Sundar's comeback into the test XI after a three-year gap.

India’s Probable Playing 11 for IND vs ENG 2nd Test: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, KS Bharat, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj