It was not the desired start to the five-match test series that India would have liked. The hosts dominated the first two days of the test match and pushed England out of the contest with a 190-run first-inning lead. But somehow, England managed to hold on and register a historic win.
They are now leading the series 1-0. The second game is scheduled to take place on February 2 at VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam. Team India will aim to level the series, but it looks like they will have to cross some major barriers. Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and batter KL Rahul have been ruled out of the second test due to injuries.
Jadeja’s injury looks more serious, and there is doubt about his availability for the remainder of the series. India is already missing Mohammed Shami and former Indian captain Virat Kohli. Many former cricketers claimed that India missed Virat in the first test.
However, the 35-year-old asked for a break from the first two games on the Indian board. But still, there is no update yet. A BCCI official claimed that they are waiting for Virat’s decision. In an interview with TOI, a BCCI official said, “We haven’t heard anything from him on his return as yet.”
It means Virat might not be available for the remaining three tests, as Indian selectors will be announcing the squad pretty soon. This can be a huge loss if Virat is not playing in the series. Because, as seen in the second inning of the first test, Indian batters struggled badly against an inexperienced English spin attack.
This series is very important because of the ongoing World Test Championship. Already, India slipped to fifth place after the loss of the first test. Though it looks very difficult, if England can manage to win the series by a good margin, India’s hope of making it to the WTC final will be shattered.
