Rohit Sharma has opted to exclude KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, and Kuldeep Yadav from India’s squad for the second Test match against New Zealand in Pune.
To turn the series around after an unexpected eight-wicket defeat in the first Test, India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, has made three significant changes to the lineup. The team is seeking redemption after losing in Bengaluru. As anticipated, KL Rahul, who played in the first Test, has been replaced by Shubman Gill, who has recovered from a neck injury that kept him out of the first game. Despite Rahul’s exclusion, India retained Sarfaraz Khan, who impressed with a remarkable 150 in the opening match, thus continuing his place in the lineup.
Rohit Sharma’s Take on the Changes
While Rohit Sharma didn’t delve deeply into the reasons behind the selection shifts, he did highlight the importance of the first few overs on the opening day of the Test. Sharma pointed out that although the first session of the previous match didn’t go in India’s favour, the team’s second innings showed promise, and they are focused on turning things around this time.
“When you play a Test match like that, the first session didn’t go our way. But we batted well in the second innings. We take a lot of positives from that and see how we can turn things around here. Always want to find ways to get back into the Test match when you’re behind. That’s what we did,” Sharma commented.
Acknowledging the dry nature of the pitch, he emphasized how crucial the first 10-15 overs would be. As for the team changes, he briefly mentioned: “Three changes—Siraj, KL, and Kuldeep miss out. Akash Deep, Washington, and Gill come in.”
Major Overhaul in Bowling Lineup
Two significant changes were made in the bowling department. Akash Deep has been selected in place of Mohammed Siraj, who, although performing well recently, failed to pick up key wickets. The selection committee’s move to bring in Akash Deep is seen as a push to strengthen India’s bowling attack for the crucial match.
The bigger surprise, however, came with the inclusion of Washington Sundar over Kuldeep Yadav. Sundar’s selection was influenced mainly by New Zealand’s left-handed batting-heavy lineup. Still, many were shocked to see him being picked over both Kuldeep and Axar Patel, who was already part of the squad. Sundar’s presence not only adds variety in bowling but also deepens India’s batting lineup, as they now have the ability to bat until the No. 9 position. This is thanks to the inclusion of three specialist all-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Sundar.
New Zealand’s One Change for the Second Test
New Zealand captain Tom Latham chose to bat after winning the toss. Their only alteration to the team was the inclusion of left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, replacing the injured pacer Matt Henry.
Speaking about the pitch conditions, Latham observed, “The surface is slightly different from last week. Not much grass, so it may offer some spin, which we expect when playing in these conditions. It was a proud moment to win the first Test, but now our focus is on adapting to the conditions here in Pune.”
Pitch Report for the 2nd Test
Simon Doull and Dinesh Karthik gave their insights on the Pune pitch, explaining that the pitch was made of the same black soil used in Bengaluru. However, in Pune, the pitch seemed much drier, with less grass cover in the good length areas. Both experts agreed that the team winning the toss should bat first, as spinners are expected to play a significant role from the very beginning.
Teams for the Second Test
India Playing XI:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah.
New Zealand Playing XI:
Tom Latham (c), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel, William O’Rourke.
India will be looking to bounce back in Pune and even the series, while New Zealand aims to carry forward the momentum from their first Test victory.
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