3 things England need to do right to beat India in the 2nd Test
Team India were left perplexed when they saw England record a come-from-behind victory in the opening game of the five-match Test series at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
India, who dominated the first day of the Test, enjoyed a substantial 190-run first-innings lead. It looked like another drubbing of a visiting side in the Indian conditions, but England gave a great account of their rejuvenated brand of cricket and pegged back into the match.
Ollie Pope, who looked out of sorts in his first innings, roared with one of the best knocks by a visiting batter in India as he hammered 196 runs in 278 balls in the second essay.
As India were set a target of 231 runs, they tasted their own medicine as the England bowlers created massive trouble before bundling out the hosts for 202 runs to win the Test by 28 runs.
As both sides gear up for the second Test in Vishakapatnam, we take a look at the three things England need to do right if they want to strengthen their grip in the all-important series.
#3 English batters should contine playing with aggressive mindset
The English batters have struck at a rate of 70.27, which is significantly better than any side in Test cricket over the last two years. They have more often than not batted out their opponents in the majority of the Tests they have played under Ben Stokes.
The visitors should look no other way in the upcoming Test as well. They ought to target a decent Indian bowling attack, which will be without Ravindra Jadeja.
The last time Vishakhapatnam hosted a Test match, it produced 1,447 runs. The surface was relatively better to bat on in the first innings and England should make the most of it. They should look to thrive with the bat and score as many runs as they can in the first innings itself.
This would not only put them ahead in the game but also put immense pressure on the hosts, who have previously been criticized for being diffident at times when under pressure.
#2 Use Anderson's experience against an inexperienced Indian batting line-up
England made a big revelation on Thursday by naming their starting XI for the second Test. They made two changes, with Jack Leach getting replaced by Shoaib Bashir.
England have also made sure that James Anderson comes back, with the veteran pacer replacing Mark Wood. While Wood bowled some really quick deliveries in Hyderabad, he largely remained ineffective.
Anderson, meanwhile, will bring his vast experience to the fore. The 41-year-young pacer, who will play in his sixth tour of India, would be a handful for the Indian batters.
Apart from his prowess to move the new ball early on, Anderson is one of the best when it comes to reversing the ball in later overs. With almost 700 Test wickets to his name, England should use Anderson's prodigious experience to deplete the Indian batting attack, which looks weak on paper.
The entire Indian squad for the second Test has accumulated a combined total of 10,703 runs, which is 744 runs less than Joe Root's career runs (11,447 runs) alone.
With no Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, or Ravindra Jadeja, the Indian batting line-up simply looks futile for the first time in quite a while. While they certainly have talent, it also gives England a superb opportunity to make inroads and create an ample amount of pressure.
#1 English spinners should assess conditions in Vishakapatnam alter their lines accordingly
The English spinners bowled too many loose deliveries and were unable to extract any help from the Hyderabad surface in the first Test. However, in the second essay, they performed exceedingly well and altered their lines and lengths quite phenomenally.
Their change in bowling plans was there to see as England instantly made life tough for the Indian batters and wrapped up their innings in less than 70 overs.
England shouldn't wait for the first innings to end in order to assess what lines to bowl. Instead, they should be quick in their thinking and get into the rhythm as early as possible.
While the English spinners barely have any experience, it is fair to say that a spinner only needs to bowl at the correct areas consistently to find success on Indian pitches.
More importantly, left-arm spinner Tom Hartley would be high on confidence after his incredible seven-wicket haul in the previous Test and would be rearing to spin his web once again.