NEW DELHI: India's skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first against England in the second Test on Friday in a crucial bid to level the series.
The hosts, currently trailing 1-0 in the five-match series, have made significant changes to their lineup, responding to injuries sustained by KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja in the opening loss.
Scorecard: India vs England 2nd Test
Batsman Rajat Patidar received his first Test cap, a notable moment in his career, as announced by cricketer-turned-analyst Zaheer Khan.
Patidar, who joined the squad in the absence of Virat Kohli for the first two Tests, is expected to play a crucial role in bolstering the Indian batting lineup.
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav and fast bowler Mukesh Kumar have been brought in to replace Rahul, Jadeja, and Mohammed Siraj.
Meanwhile, England, led by Ben Stokes, revealed their lineup on the eve of the match. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was handed his maiden Test cap, filling in for the injured Jack Leach, who played a key role in England's stunning opening victory. Notably, senior pace bowler James Anderson remains the sole quick in the team after replacing Mark Wood.
In the previous Test in Hyderabad, England claimed victory by 28 runs, marking only the fourth loss for India in 47 Tests at home since 2013. The Indian team is determined to bounce back and level the series on home soil, setting the stage for an intense battle between the two cricketing giants.
Teams
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Shreyas Iyer, Srikar Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (capt), Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson.
Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (NZL), Marais Erasmus (RSA)
TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)
Match Referee: Richie Richardson (WIS)
