2nd Test: In hostile Edgbaston, India eye equaliser, look to crack selection puzzle

India Today

13 hours ago

It's far from the perfect time for India to visit Edgbaston. Still winless at the venue in Test cricket, they arrive reeling from a heavy defeat at Headingley. History doesn't favour the tourists - and neither does momentum. Trailing 0-1 in the five-match series, they can't control the pitch or the weather - but what they can control, at least to a large extent, is team selection.advertisementWhether they play Jasprit Bumrah — who's expected to feature in only two of the four remaining Tests — and whether they're bold enough to sacrifice batting depth to pick Kuldeep Yadav, their other world-class wicket-taker, remain key questions. On a surface expected to favour batters once again, India must give themselves the best chance of taking 20 wickets - and that means selecting bowlers who can win them the match, not just hang around with the bat.Ultimately, it's about committing to a philosophy built around winning Test matches - and being willing to live with the risks that come with it.
The pitch in Birmingham is likely to be dry beneath a light layer of grass, the air warm, and the atmosphere electric — this is England's fortress, after all. India have never won here in eight attempts. Their best result remains a draw, way back in 1986 under Kapil Dev. Most recently, in 2022, India appeared on course for a 3–1 series win before fourth-innings hundreds from Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow turned the tide. That match — where England chased 378 — is widely remembered as the birth of the Bazball era.advertisementThis Test, then, is more than a chance to level the series. It poses a more pressing question: can India break free of their cautious instincts, back bold selections, and find the firepower to take all 20 wickets?Head coach Gautam Gambhir is nearing the end of his honeymoon phase. Three wins from 11 Tests make for uncomfortable reading — especially with the last victory coming in November 2024. It's a familiar truth in Test cricket: you can't win without taking 20 wickets. India know this better than most.Energised for EdgbastonGearing up for the 2nd #ENGvIND Test #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/XNnOWC3WyC— BCCI (@BCCI) July 1, 2025Before the series began, Shubman Gill spoke with intent: he was willing to play four tail-enders if that's what it took to take 20 wickets. It was bold on paper. On the field, it's been harder to commit to. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate put it plainly: 'When you're 430 for 3, it's absolutely fine. But when you're 200 for 5, it's a very different ball game.'And so, the dilemma persists — how to squeeze five genuine bowlers into a lineup that still leans on batting depth. It's a puzzle India have been trying to solve since their last tour of Australia. And the answer, it seems, remains just out of reach.advertisementShardul Thakur was picked at Leeds for the balance he brings — someone who could chip in with the bat and make a difference with the ball. But over the course of the match, he bowled just 16 overs and struggled to find rhythm, gradually fading into the background. It wouldn't be a surprise if Nitish Kumar Reddy gets the nod this time. The youngster, fresh off a century at the MCG, offers more solidity with the bat — and perhaps a touch more confidence. At training, he was spotted practicing slip catches alongside Sai Sudharsan — a quiet hint that team management may already be preparing for his inclusion.THE BUMRAH CONUNDRUMJasprit Bumrah is fit and available for the second Test at Edgbaston, but India are yet to confirm whether he will play - especially given that he's expected to feature in only three of the five matches in the series.The million-rupee question remains: will Bumrah take the field? Shubman Gill has confirmed the fast bowler's fitness, but workload management remains a key factor. If he's rested as part of a pre-agreed rotation plan, India's likely pace trio could be Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Prasidh Krishna - a group brimming with intent but short on experience.advertisementIn Leeds, without Bumrah to apply pressure from one end, India's pacers struggled for consistency. Should he miss out again, the attack will need to be sharper - and braver - to leave a mark.Bumrah bowled at full tilt in the nets on Saturday (June 28), but has since largely remained on the sidelines, conserving his energy. Even so, in his brief spells of practice, the 31-year-old has looked in top rhythm, showing few signs of the wear and tear he endured at Headingley.SPIN DILEMMAIndia are expected to field two spinners — that much is certain. Who partners Jadeja is the real poser. Washington Sundar brings control and lower-order runs; Kuldeep Yadav brings wrist-spin variety and a far superior strike rate. If the pitch does turn, Kuldeep is the likelier match-winner. But will India risk batting fragility for the promise of wickets?This choice could well determine the outcome of the Test. India's catching at Leeds bordered on catastrophic. Jaiswal alone dropped three — costly moments that proved decisive. They've since shuffled fielding positions and practised hard, but come game day, it's about holding your nerve.advertisementFielding nerves have been shaken, but the batting looks more settled. Rahul, Jaiswal, Pant, and Gill all scored a hundred in the first Test. Now they need substance and support from the lower order, which folded twice at Headingley. Sudharsan and Karun Nair are likely to be backed for at least one more Test despite muted returns.Yashasvi Jaiswal, whose dropped catches at Headingley proved costly, has been moved out of the slip cordon. He spent time fielding at short leg instead — a role that still demands courage, but not the same reflexive precision. The slips, meanwhile, stayed more or less the same: Karun Nair, KL Rahul, and Shubman Gill held their usual positions, while Sudharsan and Reddy rotated in and out of fourth slip and gully, each quietly auditioning for a role that can change a match — or define a career.REJUVENATED BAZBALL?England, by contrast, appear to have brought a method to the madness — a more refined incarnation of 'Bazball' that now tempers aggression with situational awareness, respecting both the conditions and the craft of the bowler. The Chris Woakes-led pace unit enters this phase brimming with confidence, having twice dismantled India's tail and sparked a resurgence for the hosts.advertisementAs a seasoned campaigner on home turf, Woakes will once again be entrusted with the new ball, eager to make amends for a quiet outing in Leeds. Josh Tongue, meanwhile, will be eyeing India's brittle lower order like a predator sensing vulnerability.Brydon Carse found his rhythm as the match wore on, while skipper Ben Stokes — ever the tactician — extracted maximum value from a pitch that asked the right questions.England will stick to what's worked: same XI, same trust in their batting to deliver over two innings on pitches that don't break down, and where pressure often flips sides. It's a risky ploy, but one that has often paid off at home. Gill and Gambhir must decide whether to meet that with a boldness of their own. The amps are warming. Birmingham is ready. Time to turn the volume all the way up.ENG vs IND: EDGBASTON PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONSWith less than 24 hours to go before the opening Test against England, India captain Shubman Gill wasted no time getting down to business. Minutes after wrapping up the pre-match press conference, he walked purposefully onto the Edgbaston outfield, eyes fixed on the pitch. Soon, head coach Gautam Gambhir, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, and selector Shiv Sunder Das joined him. The quartet stood in close discussion, all attention on the surface that could shape the series.Though Birmingham has basked in sunshine recently, the pitch presents a more layered picture. Two days out, it held 11mm of grass—enough to keep seamers interested—yet the dry underlayer hints at runs on offer early. Recent trends support this: just like at Headingley and in the last County match here earlier this month, the bat is expected to dominate the ball in the first innings.Spin, meanwhile, has had limited success at Edgbaston in the Bazball era—it's recorded the second-lowest strike rate for spinners among English venues in that time. Still, off-spinners have occasionally thrived. Nathan Lyon and Moeen Ali both made an impact during the 2023 Ashes opener, while R Ashwin's performance in 2018 remains memorable.The weather could offer the odd twist, with light rain forecast on Days 1, 4, and 5, though no major disruptions are expected. What does seem assured is the nature of the pitch: true to its Bazball-era reputation, Edgbaston has produced some of England's flattest decks—none more telling than their record 378-run chase against India at this very ground.TEAM NEWS: ENG vs IND, 2nd TestEngland have named an unchanged XI for the second Test against India, which begins on July 2 at Edgbaston. Fast bowler Jofra Archer remains unavailable due to injury. The England and Wales Cricket Board has opted to stick with the same lineup that secured a five-wicket victory at Headingley, giving them a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.ENGLAND PLAYING XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.India are likely to rest Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test, with Arshdeep Singh the frontrunner to replace him and offer a left-arm angle to the pace attack. Akash Deep remains in the mix.In the all-rounder slot, Nitish Kumar Reddy could come in for Shardul Thakur, while Kuldeep Yadav may be included as part of a likely two-spinner strategy, as confirmed by captain Shubman Gill.No changes are expected in the batting order. Despite quiet outings for Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair, both are set to retain their spots after a dominant showing in the first Test. Head coach Gautam Gambhir has reiterated the management's backing for Karun through lean patches.INDIA PREDICTED XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav.- EndsTune InYou May Also Like