India vs Sri Lanka 2017: India's predicted XI for second Test match

After a riveting encounter at the Eden Gardens, the action now shifts to central India.

The number 1 team in the world were put under pressure at different times of the first Test match, but they managed to gain the ascendancy as the match scuttled along on the fifth day while Sri Lanka somehow managed to stay afloat by the skin of their teeth to salvage a draw.

However, two key components to India's dominant display in Kolkata, Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been released from the squad and this translates into a new-look Indian team for the second Test.

Openers

KL Rahul

With nine half-centuries in his last 11 innings, the Karnataka-man is in prime form and would now like to convert his string of 50s into a century in the Nagpur Test.

"Yeah, little disappointed but I’m kinda getting used to not reaching a hundred. It has been the eight or ninth time but it will come when it has to come. Quite honestly, I don’t know how to feel about it," Rahul said after the first Test.

This is a good opportunity for the young man to get into some good habits before the away tours.

Murali Vijay

Many believed that Vijay should have accompanied Rahul in the first Test, but the team management went ahead with Shikhar Dhawan.

However, Vijay will get his chance since Dhawan is not available and would want to seal his spot which he has conceded to Dhawan in the recent past.