India vs England 2021, 2nd Test- England's Predicted Playing XI 

In the hindsight, England would be happy with the fact that the fifth day of the first Test got washout due to rain. With 9 wickets to take and only 157 runs needed for India to win the game, England clearly wasn’t the favorites. England would take the draw and focus on the upcoming second Test, starting from 12^th July 2021.

Ahead of the second Test, their two most experienced bowlers in Stuart Broad and James Anderson are likely to be ruled out. Broad has officially been ruled out of the second Test, while Anderson also remains doubtful. Also, Moeen Ali and Haseeb Hameed have been included in their squad in a bid to strengthen their batting unit.

Here’s a look at England’s predicted playing XI for the second Test:

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India vs England 2021, 2nd Test- England’s Predicted Playing XI

Rory Burns

Rory Burns didn’t have a great start to the series. He went for a duck in the first innings and scored 18 off 49 balls in England’s second innings. His recent form with the bat will persist England to stick with him as one of the two openers for the second Test. Burns played a scintillating 132-run knock against New Zealand in the recently concluded two-match Test series.

Haseeb Hameed:

Ahead of the second Test against India, Haseeb Hameed has been included in the England squad. He is likely to replace D Sibley in England’s playing XI for the second Test. Hameed has 219 runs to his name in 3 Tests at an average of 43.8. Sibley looked quite ordinary against a strong Indian blowing unit. He scored 18 and 28 in the two innings.

Zak Crawley:

Zak Crawley looked solid for his 27-run knock in the first innings. He made sure he sent the bad balls to boundaries and looked assured till the time he stayed at the crease. In the second innings though, he perished after scoring 6 balls off 7 balls. He would be keen to score runs for England at the top of the order in the second Test.

Joe Root:

England skipper, Joe Root will bat at four. In a crunch situation in England’s second innings in the first Test, Root played a magnificent 109-run knock to propel England to the 300-run mark. His knock helped England draw the first Test. England would need a few more of those if they have to win the series against India.

Jonny Bairstow:

Jonny Bairstow played an attacking brand of cricket in England’s second innings in the first Test. During his 30-run knock of 50 balls, he struck 4 fours. Bairstow will be an integral cog for England ahead of the second Test.

Moeen Ali

Moeen Ali has been added to the squad on Wednesday and he is most likely to be in the playing XI for the second Test. He is likely to replace Lawrence at the number six position. Moeen Ali’s destructive form with the bat should keep the team in good stead. Add to that, his off-spin is likely to be an added advantage to the side.

Jos Buttler

One of the experienced players in the squad, Jos Buttler is a vital player for the team. He had a forgettable outing in the last game and would be keen to exhibit better performance in the next game. He scored a duck and 17 runs in the two innings in the last game.

Sam Curran

Sam Curran played a great hand at number seven position for England. He played decent cameos in the first Test against England. Though, he wasn’t as effective with the ball. Curran scored an unbeaten 27 off 37 in the first innings and followed it up with a 45-ball 32 in the second innings.

Ollie Robinson:

Ollie Robinson has continued to impress one and all with his fast bowling exploits. He consistently bowled on good lengths in the last Test and picked a five-wicket haul in the last game. He will be key to England’s fortune in the second Test.

Mark Wood:

Mark Wood is likely to replace Stuart Broad, who has been ruled out of the second Test. Broad has missed the second Test due to a calf injury. Wood should look to make the most of this opportunity.

James Anderson/ S Mahmood

There have been doubts over James Anderson’s availability in the second Test. The veteran fast bowler hasn’t bowled in the nets for the last two days due to a tight quad. In case, he missed out from the eleven, S Mahmood, who has been included in the squad, would perhaps make into the eleven.