As India prepare for the second Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday, all eyes are on the team management’s selection decisions following the frustrating defeat in Leeds. The key dilemma: how to take 20 wickets on another batter-friendly surface while maintaining depth in the batting order. With Jasprit Bumrah potentially being rested as part of a pre-planned workload strategy, the pace attack is likely to see changes.
Mohammed Siraj should lead the bowling unit, supported by the promising Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna. The absence of Bumrah, who was India’s sharpest bowler in the first Test, will place added pressure on this trio to deliver more consistency in their lengths.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The Edgbaston pitch, though green on top, has a dry layer underneath, which means spinners will eventually come into play. India are expected to go in with two spinners this time. Ravindra Jadeja is a certain starter, and with Washington Sundar bringing control and batting depth, the management could once again overlook Kuldeep Yadav’s attacking edge that India sorely missed in Leeds.
Poll
Should Jasprit Bumrah be rested for the second Test at Edgbaston?
Kuldeep’s inclusion, however, would signal a shift away from a conservative strategy. In the all-rounder slot, Nitish Reddy may get nod, replacing Shardul Thakur, who struggled at Headingley. While Thakur’s omission might seem harsh after just one match, India needs greater control and batting stability down the order. The batting core remains intact with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul opening, followed by Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant. Karun Nair, having made his comeback in the Leeds Test, might have to sit out to give the India team a balanced look at Edgbaston. Despite modest returns in the first Test, Sai Sudharsan is expected to retain his place, with India likely to persist with their long-term potential. With England refining their “Bazball” into a more calculated assault and their pacers growing in confidence, India must respond with a sharper, bolder selection – one geared toward picking 20 wickets, not just surviving the game.England Confirmed XI vs India: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.India’s predicted XI vs England: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wk, vc), Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep.
