Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen doesn't see any threat to Virat Kohli's captaincy in the foreseeable future but can understand the growing debate over it with India losing four consecutive Tests under his leadership.
Click here to read Pietersen’s comments on Kohli’s captaincy
England had earlier announced a 12-man squad for the second Test against India in Chennai which included both pacer Stuart Broad and all-rounder Moeen Ali, both of whom didn't play in the first Test. The odd man out from that list though, will be announced by captain Joe Root at the toss in 30 minutes' time.
Click here to check out the 12-man England squad for the match
The surface on which the fate of the second Test will be decided
Hello and welcome to The Chepauk for the 2nd Test.
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 13, 2021
Here's a look at the canvas for the game.
Thoughts?@Paytm #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/36NK1mvJ9d
Chepauk pitch looks completely different — Rahane
India vice captain Ajinkya Rahane expects the pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai to turn from the very first day, describing it as very different from the one that started to crumble from the third day onwards.
"I am sure it will turn from Day 1 but again as I have said before the first Test match, you have to wait and see how it plays in the first session and take it from there on," said Rahane on the eve of the second Test.
While the first Test between India and England at the MA Chidambaram Stadium marked the return of international cricket in India after more than a year, the second match at the same venue will herald the return of fans to the stadium — a decision that stands out all the more given most international and domestic cricket matches are taking place in the absence of fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, bringing fans back into the stands, even if at a limited capacity, brings back the age-old question of the way the BCCI treats its most important stakeholder in terms of facilities for spectators at venues, which can be described as poor compared to those in some of the other full member nations.
Shubham Pandey delves further into the topic in his piece. Give it a read by clicking here.
India need to win the four-match Test series by a 2-1 margin at the very least if they are to make the trip to Lord's for the World Test Championship final later this year. And for that to happen, the second Test against England is a very crucial fixture, given Virat Kohli and company have a lot of mistakes from the first game to rectify.
Read Ujwal Singh's preview of the second Test at Chennai here
Hello and welcome to Firstpost's LIVE coverage of the second Test between hosts India and England from Chepauk. Virat Kohli and Co once again find themselves 0-1 down after England's thumping 227-run win, and they will need no less than a victory to keep their hopes alive for the ICC World Test Championship final. Stay tuned as we build-up towards the toss.
India vs England Live Score, Ind vs Eng 2021 2nd Test at Chennai: Hello and welcome to Firstpost's LIVE coverage of the second Test between hosts India and England from Chepauk. Virat Kohli and Co once again find themselves 0-1 down after England's thumping 227-run win, and they will need no less than a victory to keep their hopes alive for the ICC World Test Championship final. Stay tuned as we build-up towards the toss.
Second Test preview: England will field a new pace attack for the second Test with Jofra Archer ruled out due to elbow injury and James Anderson making way for Stuart Broad as part of the rotation policy. England announced their 12-man squad for the second Test match which also features Moeen Ali and Ben Foakes.
Foakes will be donning the wicket-keeping gloves for England in place of Jos Buttler who has flown back to England.
Archer has had an injection in the joint, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Thursday, and the team expects he will be fit for the third Test in Ahmedabad starting on 24 February.
Archer felt discomfort in his elbow during the 227-run win in the first Test, which was also in Chennai.
“The issue is not related to any previous injury,” the ECB said, “and it is hoped the treatment will allow the condition to settle down quickly.”
India are most likely to include Axar Patel in the second Test, making way for Kuldeep Yadav as well. It will be interesting to see if the hosts make changes in the batting department.
As per a report in the New Indian Express, the track for the second Test is expected to be more friendly to spin. The pitch may start turning from Day 1 itself unlike the one in first Test to throw toss factor completely out of equation. In the first Test, the pitch was batting friendly with Ishant Sharma saying it was like bowling on a road. India struggled to pick wickets on the first two days and by the third day they came out to bat, the pitch had begun to spin. Losing the toss in the first Test caused India a Test match.
The second Test is of huge importance to India. They cannot go to Ahmedabad for last two Tests, trailing in series 0-2. Also, from the standpoint of the World Test Championship, India need a win. They need a 2-1 margin at least to set up final clash with New Zealand at Lord's.
Here's all you need to know about when and where to watch India vs England second Test match:
When will India vs England 2nd Test match take place?
The India vs England second Test will take place from 13 February to 17 February, 2021.
Where will the match be played?
The India vs England second Test match will be played in MA Chidamabaram stadium in Chennai.
What time does the match begin?
The India vs England second Test match will begin at 9.30 am IST, with the toss scheduled at 9 am IST.
Which TV channels will broadcast India vs England match?
The match will be telecast on the Star Sports network in both standard as well as HD format, with live streaming on Hotstar. You can also catch the live score and updates on Firstpost.com.
Squads:
India: Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishab Pant (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasiprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Shardul Thakur.
England: Joe Root (captain), Dominic Sibley, Rory Burns, Ollie Pope, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ben Foakes (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, Olly Stone.
With inputs from AP
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