The Cricketer previews the second match of the four-Test series in Chennai, with the tourists protecting a 1-0 lead...
The second of four Tests between India and England, back in Chennai.
The second Test begins on February 13. The full schedule is below.
First Test: February 5-9 (9.30am local time, 4am GMT) - England won by 227 runs
Second Test: February 13-17 (9.30am local time, 4am GMT)
Third Test: February 24-28 (2.30pm local time, 9am GMT)
Fourth Test: March 4-8 (9.30am local time, 4am GMT)
The second Test returns to the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, which staged the clash game of the series. England beat India to take a 1-0 lead thanks to a 227-run victory.
The third and fourth games will be held at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel Stadium. As of the completion of its reconstruction last year, it is the world’s largest cricket ground, with a seating capacity of 110,000.
Dafabet have installed India as favourites to level the series, offering odds of 4/6.
Series leaders England are meanwhile 5/2 to add to their lead and you can back the draw at 15/4.
Fresh from his double century in the first Test, Joe Root is 15/8 to be the visitors' highest run-scorer in the match.
Ishant Sharma, who went to 300 Test scalps in Chennai, is 7/2 to be the hosts' premier wicket-taker.
England will be without Jos Buttler for the remainder of the series after permitting the wicketkeeper-batsman to fly home to help manage his workload.
The tourists also remain without Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood and Sam Curran, who have all been rested for the first two Tests in Chennai.
Zak Crawley is also missing having suffered a wrist injury in the week of the first Test but is expected to return when the series moves to Ahmedabad.
Ben Foakes is expected to get the nod ahead of James Bracey to replace Buttler and earn his first Test outing for more than two years.
Will India ring the changes in an effort to get back in the series?
As part of their rotation policy, 38-year-old James Anderson is expected to be rested with Stuart Broad likely to come in. Moeen Ali could also be considered to replace Dom Bess, who struggled in the second innings of the first Test.
India, meanwhile, are without a host of players due to injury but remain hopeful of adding to their squad as the series progresses.
Ravindra Jadeja is still missing with a thumb problem suffered in Australia and his absence was felt hard by the hosts.
The fitness of Hanuma Vihari, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami is being regularly monitored.
A first home Test defeat in four years could lead to at least one change, with Nadeem Shahbaz having toiled in Chennai. Uncapped spinner Axar Patel is fit again after missing the opening match and Kuldeep Yadav is also in contention for a recall.
India squad for second Test: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Wriddhiman Saha, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel
England squad second Test: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes
England reserves: James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi
Victory at Chepauk has sent England top of the WTC table, with three Tests to play. They will qualify for the final against New Zealand if they win two of the remaining three matches.
India, similarly, must prevail in at least two of the next three and go on to claim the series if they're to stand any chance of featuring in the final.
Australia, whose Tests in South Africa were pulled, will reclaim a top-two spot if neither India nor England win by a wide enough margin, or the series is drawn.
Joe Root became the first player to score a double century in their 100th Test
Crowds are being allowed to watch an international match in India for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began. As many as 15,000 fans will attend the game, with masks mandatory and social distancing in place throughout the ground.
Channel 4 will broadcast the series in the United Kingdom, with the content available online via its streaming platform All 4. Highlights will be shown twice on More4 following the conclusion of play.
Updates for the upcoming Test matches! If you can’t do the early starts, don’t worry we have highlights on More4👏
— Channel 4 Sport (@C4Sport) February 10, 2021
2nd Test Highlights: ⏰📅
Sat13: 1315 and 2410
Sun14: 1340 and 2410
Mon15: 1310 and 2405
Tue16: 1310 and 2400
Wed17: 1310 and 2405#Channel4Cricket #INDvENG
Radio coverage of the series will be provided by TalkSPORT2.
In India, the series will be broadcast on Star Sports.
SuperSport are showing the matches in South Africa.
Fox Sports and Kayo have footage of the Tests in Australia, which fans can following the action in New Zealand on Sky Sport 2.
Images courtesy of BCCI
This preview is brought to you in association with Dafabet India. For more on Dafabet and to place a bet, click here.
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