3 things India need to do right to beat England in the 2nd Test
Down 1-0 in the five-match series, India will be under pressure to deliver when they face off against England in the second Test from Friday, February 2 in Visakhapatnam.
The hosts are without a win in three home Tests, with the run stretching back to an unconvincing Border-Gavaskar Trophy display against Australia. The pressure is mounting on the two-time World Test Championship (WTC) finalists, who have dropped to fifth in the 2023-25 standings.
So how do Rohit Sharma and Co. get their Test series back on track? They might need to take a leaf out of their opponents' book while also correcting the plethora of errors they made in Hyderabad.
Here are three things India need to do right to beat England in the second Test.
#3 India need to take the attack to England's spinners
England have announced their XI for the second Test, and it once again features a solitary fast bowler. Shoaib Bashir, Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed and Joe Root will be the side's spinners in Vizag.
Hartley may have ran through the Indian lineup in Hyderabad, but he needs to be put under pressure in the second Test. Yashasvi Jaiswal demonstrated the benefits of the same during the first innings of the previous game, throwing the left-arm spinner off his lengths by playing attacking strokes.
Meanwhile, debutant Bashir and leggie Rehan must also be attacked. They could have a tendency to lose their lines and lengths if the Indian batters play their shots. And once that happens, India will find it much easier to counter the opposition bowlers even on a turner.
#2 Rohit Sharma must be attacking and proactive with his captaincy
Rohit Sharma's insipid leadership was one of the main reasons behind India's defeat in the first Test. Without the captain adopting a more aggressive and proactive approach, the hosts could find it impossible to come out on top in Vizag.
Rohit can't afford to be taken aback by the English batters' approach, which is bound to be unconventional. He needs to keep the intensity high and not allow easy singles in all areas of the ground, especially if there are fresh faces at the crease.
Keeping fielders in catching positions and taking more risks will be essential for India to counter Bazball. Rohit's captaincy needs to become less pedestrian in Vizag, and if taking a cue from Ben Stokes is what prompts that change, it needs to happen.
#1 India should be batting heavy and spin heavy
Without KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Shami, India's strongest XI for the second Test as of now seems extremely depleted. In order to make up for that, the hosts might need to stock up on their biggest strengths.
The batting lineup came undone in Hyderabad and has gotten even weaker after Rahul and Jadeja's injuries. India might need to play an additional batter to offset the absences, even if that means going in with just four bowling options.
Meanwhile, a turning track is on the cards for the second Test. England have already named four spinners in their XI, and India might need to go down the same route. Picking Kuldeep Yadav and perhaps even Washington Sundar could help them make the most of their most potent skillset.