India’s quest for a hat-trick of World Test Championship (WTC) finals continues as they prepare for the second and final Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur. After a resounding victory in Chennai, India needs four more wins from their remaining nine matches to secure their place in the WTC final next year.
The Kanpur Test will present a stark contrast to the red-soil pitch in Chennai. The black soil pitch is expected to be flatter and lower in bounce, favoring spinners. This change may prompt both teams to alter their team compositions.
India may consider resting premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah to manage his workload. However, his impressive performance in Chennai, where he took four wickets in just 21 overs, may sway the team management to keep him in the lineup.
The choice of the third spinner is another key decision. Kuldeep Yadav, who has been in excellent form, could get the nod over Axar Patel, whose all-round abilities may not be as crucial on a flat pitch.
India’s probable playing XI for the second Test against Bangladesh:
* Rohit Sharma (c)
* Yashasvi Jaiswal
* Shubman Gill
* Virat Kohli
* KL Rahul
* Rishabh Pant (wk)
* Ravindra Jadeja
* Ravichandran Ashwin
* Kuldeep Yadav
* Jasprit Bumrah (if fit)
* Mohammed Siraj
