The earlier meeting between the sides, the second game of the season, gave us the first Super Over of IPL 2020

Debayan Sen19-Oct-2020Chris Gayle and Mayank Agarwal hug after the nerve-jangling win over Mumbai Indians•BCCI

Big picture

The Kings XI Punjab’s IPL campaign is well and truly back on track. And despite their nerve-wrangling win over the Mumbai Indians after a double-Super Over having ended late on Sunday, they must be eager to front up against table-toppers the Delhi Capitals, themselves victors in a dramatic finish over the weekend against the Chennai Super Kings.ALSO READ: KXIP vs DC Fantasy Pick – Pick Pooran over Agarwal if Kings XI chaseThe Kings XI’s three wins from nine games is nowhere near an accurate description of how they have played at times. They controlled large parts of a few matches they contrived to lose – their season-opener against the Capitals, which they lost in a Super Over, is one of three games they would look back at as ones they ought to have won. And with the mid-table traffic not far behind the top-four places, all it will take is a couple of wins from here to get into serious playoffs contention. Chris Gayle’s inclusion in the line-up has added a delicate but vital balance, freeing up captain KL Rahul to bat more freely in the powerplay to cash in on his run of fantastic form.But the Capitals, understandably, provide a substantial hurdle. With Rishabh Pant having started training, his return from a hamstring injury must be around the corner, but even without him, the batting has been helmed excellently by Shikhar Dhawan, fresh off his maiden IPL century. Their chief driving force is arguably the league’s most balanced bowling attack, with spinners R Ashwin and Axar Patel perfectly complementing the heavy-metal pace duo of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, with Tushar Deshpande settling in nicely.

In the news

• Is he a ruthless run-gatherer whose apparent lack of intent can sometimes end up hurting his team as they enter the last bit of their innings? Or is he a cricketer at the top of his game, who has just not had the support that would help mark this out as one of T20 cricket’s great runs of form? The truth is probably somewhere in between, but there’s no denying that Rahul is batting at a level different from everybody else this IPL. His 525 runs have come at an average of 75, a strike rate of 136, and after nine games in any IPL, only Virat Kohli (561) had more back in 2016. With Gayle and Nicholas Pooran slotting in after the openers, Rahul’s strike rate went up to over 170 against the Mumbai Indians, up from 117 till that match, indicating that the best of Rahul might be yet to come.
• The Capitals have signed legspinner Praveen Dubey as replacement for the injured Amit Mishra, but it is unlikely he will break into the XI with Ashwin and Patel in the kind of form they are in. Between the two of them, they also have some impressive match-ups with key batsmen in the Kings XI lineup – Gayle has fallen four times to Ashwin and scores at a strike rate of just 82.28 against him, while Ashwin has also dismissed Mayank Agarwal four times, with the batsman averaging just 10 against him. Rahul averages just 9 against Patel, striking at 75, while Agarwal strikes at 71.43. All of it makes for a very intriguing middle-overs battle, should the Kings XI top order survive the new ball burst.

What’s at stake

Delhi Capitals Played 9: Won 7, Lost 2
They are sitting pretty at the top of the table and if they win today against the Kings XI, they will move to 16 points, establishing a four-point lead over the second-placed Mumbai Indians. A win will not guarantee the Capitals a spot in the playoffs, but it will put them in an excellent position to make the final four.

Kings XI Punjab Played 9: Won 3, Lost 6
The Kings XI have won back-to-back games, with the form of KL Rahul and Chris Gayle reviving their campaign. Tuesday’s game against the Capitals is very important for them. If they win, they will go to fifth place with eight points and will be just one win away from the top four. The Kings XI will have also finished two games each against the stronger oppositions in the Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals. This puts them in a good position to make a final dash against the teams that are not performing at their best this IPL. If the Kings XI lose today, they are not out of the tournament yet, but it means they can get to a maximum of 14 points and will have to rely on other results going their way to qualify for the playoffs.
Rishabh Pant has resumed training after an injury-enfrced absence•BCCI

Previous meeting

If there have been some incredible finishes this season, the mould was set in place when these teams met in the season’s second game at the same venue. The Capitals slumped to 13 for 3, but then were hauled to 157 for 8, principally on the back of Marcus Stoinis’ 53 off 21. Ashwin rocked the Kings XI chase with two wickets in one over, but then Agarwal (89) brought the scores level off Stoinis’ last over, with three balls to spare. A dot ball, and two wickets later, we had the season’s first Super Over, where Rabada went 2, W, W and the Capitals pulled off a win that had looked improbable just 15 minutes earlier.

Likely XIs

Delhi Capitals: 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Axar Patel, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Tushar Deshpande, 10 Kagiso Rabada 11 Anrich NortjeKings XI Punjab: 1 KL Rahul (capt, wk), 2 Mayank Agarwal, 3 Chris Gayle, 4 Nicholas Pooran, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Deepak Hooda, 7 Chris Jordan, 8 M Ashwin, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Arshdeep Singh

Strategy punts

• Since the Capitals have two fingerspinners with great records against their top-order batsmen, the Kings XI could consider splitting up the successful Rahul-Agarwal partnership by having Gayle open with Rahul. This would also leave them with the option of keeping either Agarwal or Pooran as floaters to maintain the right-left combination at the crease. Gayle might also relish taking on the pace on offer from Rabada and Nortje more than walking in during the middle overs. A lot could depend on the conditions as well as whether the Kings XI bat first or chase.
• While the Capitals have had a lot of individual contributions coming in for them, Prithvi Shaw’s rut in the last three matches has been noticeable. He has scored just four runs from six balls, and fallen in the opening over to Trent Boult, Jofra Archer and Deepak Chahar. In Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami, the Kings XI have new-ball operators who get swing early on, and they will look to feed on his tentativeness early. The Capitals might consider having Shaw swap positions with Ajinkya Rahane, and if Pant reports fit, the decision could become an easier one. It would also enable the Capitals to bring back Shimron Hetmyer, and allow captain Shreyas Iyer to bat at his favoured No. 3.

Stats that matter

• The Delhi franchise has been Rahul’s least favourite opponents in terms of sheer numbers – he averages 24.5 in eight innings against them and it’s the only team against which his average dips below 37. However, in 2018, he did score a 14-ball 50 to set up a successful run chase.
• The Capitals have had seven different players winning the Player of the Match awards for their seven victories – Stoinis, Shaw, Iyer, Patel, Ashwin, Nortje and Dhawan. Rabada, Purple Cap-holder with 19 wickets, is yet to win one.
• In 16 matches in Dubai at this IPL, pace has provided more wickets on an average, but spin has kept the opposition in check better. While the fast men have picked up 113 wickets at an economy of 8.6, the corresponding figures for spin are 61 and 7.7.
• Glenn Maxwell needs another 45 runs to bring up 1500 IPL runs.
• Dhawan needs 62 runs to bring up 5000 runs in the IPL.
• This will be Ajinkya Rahane’s 200th T20 match if he is picked.

D’Arcy Short has been called up as a replacement for Warner

Daniel Brettig30-Nov-2020David Warner is in an 18-day race to be fit in time for the opening Test of the summer against India, after he was formally ruled out of the remainder of the white-ball matches and replaced in the squad by D’Arcy Short, while Australia’s vice-captain Pat Cummins is also to be spelled until the opening long-from game at Adelaide Oval from December 17.The groin/adductor tear Warner suffered while fielding against India on Sunday night at the SCG has not been ruled serious enough to remove him from calculations for the start of the Test series, although he will need to make a rapid recovery given the short turnaround time.Former Cricket Australia team doctor Peter Brukner suggested* that in his experience, similar injuries were likely to take between four and six weeks to heal, and said that Warner would be more likely to be fit in time for the second Test at the MCG on Boxing Day than the first.”It certainly seemed to be a significant injury, what we’d call a grade two, the fact he’s not having surgery indicates he hasn’t torn it off the bone or anything like that, but it was clearly more than a grade one and traditionally we’d say that was a four to six week injury if you’re looking at a footballer, hopefully closer to four than to six,” Brukner told SEN Radio. “It’s 18 days between yesterday and the start of the first Test, so that’s cutting it pretty fine.”Probably the odds are that he’s not going to make it, but knowing Davey he’ll give it a good crack and he’s in superb shape and he’ll do everything possible, he’ll be very well looked after by the physios, David Beakley and his group. So I think he’s a chance but probably the odds are against him playing the first Test – second Test should be fine, much more realistic.”Australia’s opening two victories over India made it patently clear how valuable Warner is as a top order batsman in home conditions, forming a platform against the new ball but also scoring freely and setting up an innings for the likes of Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. Australia’s’ coach Justin Langer said Warner’s timely return would be pivotal to the Test team’s fortunes, in addition to giving Cummins some time off following his IPL stint and lengthy quarantine.ALSO WATCH: David Warner run out by direct hit (Indian subcontinent only)“Pat and Davey are critical to our plans for the Test Series,” Langer said. “Davey will work through his injury rehab and in Pat’s case it is important all of our players are managed well to keep them mentally and physically fit throughout what is a challenging summer. The priority for both is being fully prepared for one of the biggest and most important home Test Series we have played in recent years, especially with World Test Championship points up for grabs.”Labuschagne said that Australia needed to adapt to a scenario where they would be missing Warner for at least four matches, but he expected the super-fit 33-year-old to make his return for the Test series.”He’s been a massive part of us winning this series and it’s not great that we’ve lost him, but like anything it provides an opportunity for someone else to step up in the top order and make runs,” Labuschagne said. “It’s unfortunately how the game works, there’s always an opportunity for someone else when something like that happens. We hope Davey gets a speedy recovery and he’s back as soon as we can get him. He’s a very strong character and he’ll be back.”I hope he’s back for the Test series, but I’m not a physio or a doctor, so I think for us it’s just about being able to adapt. We need to make sure we adapt for this last one-dayer and then if he’s not available it provides an opportunity for someone else to step up. That’s how we have to play it.”Short had been on standby in Sydney in the event of injury, and comes into the team with the benefit of a couple of Sheffield Shield appearances for Western Australia earlier in the season. It remains to be seen whether he slots straight in opposite Aaron Finch at the top of the order, or the selectors shuffle around their other available options, including that of Matthew Wade.The uncertainty around Warner’s fitness adds further intrigue to debate around the opening spots in the Test team, as the incumbent Joe Burns and the aspiring talent of Will Pucovski wait in hope of chances to wear the baggy green this summer. Labuschagne said that Burns was capable of stepping up to play a more senior role should Warner be absent.”Joe’s averaging 40 in Test cricket so he’s certainly established and he’s got four Test hundreds, so he’s a very good player,” Labuschagne said. “Although he hasn’t made the runs in Shield cricket he would’ve liked, he got 99 [97] against Pakistan in the first Test last summer and he negotiated through that new ball period almost every time.”So he’s not far away from a couple of really big scores and I think if he was to step up into that senior opener role, 100% I think he’s that sort of player that can step up if the team really needs it.”Meanwhile, allrounder Mitchell Marsh will not join the Australia A squad for the matches against India as he continues his recovery from the ankle injury sustained at the IPL. He will now target a return in the BBL with the Perth Scorchers.

Despite being bowled out for 89 in a huge defeat, the Renegades earned Bash Boost point

Andrew McGlashan03-Jan-2021Josh Inglis backed up a return to form from the previous Perth Scorchers outing with his first half-century of the season, as he and Colin Munro, who also made his first fifty of the BBL in a display that included five sixes, combined in a match-defining 117-run stand as the Melbourne Renegades’ miserable tournament continued.This was a contest between the bottom two teams in the league at the start of the day and it was the Scorchers who moved forward. In the first professional cricket match played in Perth this season because of border restrictions, they put in a supreme display much to the delight of a passionate home crowd, that has been starved of cricket action.The Renegades had reshuffled their batting order – with Australia captain Aaron Finch surprisingly moving to No. 3 – but they put in an awful display, adding 89 all out to previous collapses this season for 60 and 80. Although because the Scorchers had earlier made just 63 in their first ten overs, the Renegades were able to take the Bash Boost point despite being 8 for 71.Calm before the stormIt was a solid but unspectacular start from the Scorchers. They were 0 for 29 after the four-over powerplay and had 41 on the board when Liam Livingstone was stumped, charging at 16-year-old birthday boy Noor Ahmad, who comprehensively defeated him for length. The next three overs brought just 15 runs with Jason Roy held to an uncharacteristic strike rate of 84.38 before he picked out mid-off. At the ten-over mark, they were an underwhelming 2 for 63, but two balls into the 11th came a crucial moment when Inglis, on 10, was caught at third man but Peter Hatzoglou stepped on to the rope.Going through the gearsThe Scorchers called the Power Surge in the 13th over and, unlike a few recently, it had the desired effect as the two overs brought 26 runs and injected some much-needed momentum into the innings. That pace was continued, and lifted, as the three overs that followed went for 47. Inglis brought up a 30-ball fifty with a pulled six off Josh Lalor and Munro’s came from a rapid 24 deliveries as the Renegades wilted under the pressure. Two poor pieces of fielding by Mohammad Nabi – a dropped catch off Inglis and a boundary let through his legs in the final over – summed things up for the visitors. When Mitchell Marsh signed off the innings with a huge leg-side six, 122 runs had come from the second ten overs.Batting horror show, but a boostSam Harper, promoted to open the batting in place of Finch, dragged on the second ball from Jhye Richardson and things did not get any better. If any further signs were needed as to how things were going for the Renegades, it came when Finch was run-out backing up as a fierce straight drive from Shaun Marsh clipped Jason Behrendorff’s fingers. The in-form Marsh then fell to a stunning catch at backward point by Roy, which wasn’t far off matching MacKenzie Harvey’s amazing effort a few days ago. When Fawad Ahmed produced a double-wicket maiden in the ninth over it appeared the Renegades might even mess up getting to Bash Boost, but a pulled six from Jack Prestwidge did the job in the tenth over. It was a little game-within-a-game, but it can be debated if it was earned.

South Africa’s head coach confirmed they will ‘definitely’ play more than one spinner in Karachi

Firdose Moonda25-Jan-2021South Africa are set to make what head coach Mark Boucher called “brave calls,” in deviating from their usual seamer-focused approach to a more spinner-based set-up for the subcontinent. On surfaces Boucher thinks are being prepared for turn, he confirmed that South Africa will “definitely play more than one spinner” in the Karachi Test.”We always revert back to our seaming options because that’s what we get grown up to think,” Boucher said. “But if it looks like it’s going to turn, we must make the right selections and make good cricket calls. I encourage an open mindset rather than going back to the norm. It’s a two-match series, so we can’t go one down and have regrets that we should have played an extra spinner. We’ve got to make the call right now. We’re coming with a mindset that if we want to win a series away from home, we’ve got to make a couple of brave calls.”South Africa have taken three spinners and nine seamers to Pakistan. Kagiso Rabada, who missed the home Tests against Sri Lanka with a groin injury, is set to return, though Boucher does not think reverse swing will play a big role in this series.”We spoke about reverse swing but having gone to the ground only recently, we found the outfield was very green and quite moist. I don’t know how big a weapon reverse swing is going to be,” Boucher said. “The conditions are going to be proper subcontinent conditions and I don’t think there will be a lot of assistance for seamers.”That will mean South Africa will have to decide if they think Anrich Nortje’s pace will be more effective than Lutho Sipamla’s consistency or Lungi Ngidi’s aggression, considering there may only be space for one of the three if Rabada, an allrounder (Wiaan Mulder) and two spinners play. They also have to choose which of the spinners to select and early indications are that the job will be given to Keshav Maharaj, the incumbent, and Tabraiz Shamsi, the wristspinner who has not played a Test since 2018. “Tabraiz has been selected as an attacking, aggressive spinner. If you get given the opportunity to give him a chance in spinning conditions, then why not?” Boucher asked.Related

• 'There's possibly another 100 Test matches for him' – Boucher on de Kock's special 50

• Rabada expects 'reverse swing to play a role' in Pakistan

• Faf du Plessis eager to master the Asian challenge

• Wiaan Mulder sheds weight and carries the load for SA

Boucher also expects Maharaj to come into his own in this series, after operating in the shadows of the quicks in the home Tests. “Kesh is hungry, He didn’t bowl a lot against Sri Lanka, for various reasons like the wicket was more conducive to seam bowling. He is hungry to get stuck in and play a role.”Being our main spin bowler over the last few years, with all respect to him, he didn’t have the best tour of India. We’ve worked on a couple of technical things and he has come on in leaps and bounds. He is itching to get out there, especially in these conditions where he knows he is going to be bowling a lot and potentially could have a series where he could have a massive impact on a win.”Maharaj played in two of South Africa’s three Tests on their 2019 tour to India (he was injured for the last match) and bowled 127 overs, with returns of 6 for 514. Compare that with the haul of R Ashwin (15 wickets) and Ravindra Jadeja (13) and that Rabada was South Africa’s leading bowler with seven wickets, and it’s understandable why Maharaj did not have a great outing. He has had more success in Sri Lanka, where, in 2018, he was the joint leading-wicket taker with 16 wickets across the two Tests, both of which South Africa lost.Mark Boucher suggested South Africa have to wrest control early against a young and rebuilding Pakistan side•Getty Images

For Maharaj, the next frontier is to lead the attack and the team to victory in conditions suited to spin but that’s not the only individual goal South Africa have set. “We are putting a challenge on how many hundreds we want to score,” Boucher said.South Africa recorded their first opening century stand in three years against Sri Lanka over the festive season but only two batsmen scored hundreds: Dean Elgar and Faf du Plessis. That puts the spotlight on Aiden Markram, who struggled against spin in Sri Lanka and India, Rassie van der Dussen, who has gone 43 international innings without a hundred, and Temba Bavuma, whose only Test century came five years ago.”A big innings first score will always be a bonus, because once you get that you get in control of the game,” Boucher said. “The wickets are generally pretty good for the first two or three days and then once you start getting a bit of rough, the ball starts turning. The game tends to speed up towards the end of the game so first innings runs are important.”With all the talk of turn, and last week’s remark by captain Quinton de Kock, that subcontinent teams prepare dustbowls to “target” South Africa, you may expect the general mood is that South Africa are being disadvantaged but Boucher refused to see it that way.”It’s not doctoring, it’s being smart about where you play your opposition and how you can drive home an advantage where you maybe see a weakness in your opposition,” Boucher said.To that end, South Africa have identified how they can look to exploit some of Pakistan’s vulnerabilities. Boucher suggested South Africa have to wrest control early, against a young and rebuilding Pakistan side. “If we can get them doubting themselves early on in the Test match, we must do that. It can play to our advantage. If we can get momentum going our way early on, it will be a big advantage for us.”

All the matches – three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests – will be played in Antigua

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2021Sri Lanka’s multi-format tour of West Indies, comprising three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests, will start on March 3, with all fixtures to be played behind closed doors in Antigua, in a biosecure environment.Cricket West Indies (CWI) had initially intended to stage part of the tour in St Lucia, but a delay in Sri Lanka’s arrival after Mickey Arthur and Lahiru Thirimanne tested positive for Covid-19 and the need to finish the series before the start of the IPL in April rendered that impossible.Instead, the Coolidge Cricket Ground – previously known as Allen Stanford’s ‘Sticky Wicket’ ground – will host international cricket for the first time as the venue for the T20I leg of the tour. The ground previously hosted both editions of the regional Stanford T20 tournaments and the infamous Stanford Super Series. It underwent extensive renovations in 2017 and is one of the two venues in operation for the ongoing Regional Super50 Cup.

West Indies vs Sri Lanka schedule

T20I series
March 3, 5 and 7 (Coolidge Cricket Ground)

ODI series
March 10, 12 and 14 (Sir Vivian Richards Stadium)

Two-day warm-up match
March 17-18 (Coolidge Cricket Ground)

Test series
March 21-25, March 29-April 2 (Sir Vivian Richards Stadium)

Sri Lanka will be the first team to travel to the Caribbean for a men’s tour since Ireland in January 2020. The ODIs form part of the World Cup Super League, while the Tests are part of the World Test Championship (though neither side can qualify for the final).”We are pleased to be able to finally confirm this tour,” said Ricky Skerritt, CWI’s president. “A number of Covid-19 related logistic hurdles have now been overcome and I want to thank Sri Lankan Cricket President, Shammi Silva and his team, for their co-operation in honouring their obligation to tour under the ICC FTP agreement.”We are also extremely grateful for the support we received from the Governments of Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Lucia in planning this tour. But it is regrettable that we are unable to include St Lucia as part of this home series as we had originally hoped to due to the delay in Sri Lanka arriving and the need for the tour to end before the start of the Indian Premier League.”

England, 1-0 up after one Test, are going to be without James Anderson and Jofra Archer

Vishal Dikshit12-Feb-2021

Big picture

If there’s anything Test cricket has taught us in the last couple of months, it is that even the most reasonable of predictions can go horribly wrong. Many experts predicted India to crumble after Virat Kohli left Australia when his team was 1-0 down, but saw the most dramatic script unfold with the last drop of thrill squeezed out till the last session of the hard-fought series. Hardly anyone gave a highly depleted West Indies any chance in Bangladesh, only to see a debutant score an unbeaten double-century to chase down a mammoth 395 in the last hour in Chattogram. And England – despite a 2-0 win in Sri Lanka – were not favourites in the four-match series against an India side with many of its frontline players back. But Joe Root and James Anderson led the way as England handed the hosts their first Test loss in Chennai in 22 years.So, if you have any predictions for the second Test, or for the series, it might be a good idea to take them down a notch or two.High on the back of their sixth straight away win and as many on the trot in Asia, England’s biggest challenge would be similar to the one Australia faced in India in early 2017 after they took a 1-0 lead with a win in Pune: sustain the pressure on the home side. India will be near-unstoppable especially if they win the toss on Saturday. What must England do that Australia couldn’t after they lost the toss in Bengaluru and then went on to lose the series?Related

• Bess' fate sealed by inconsistency as England pick Moeen

• Joe Root calls for 'real squad effort'

• Chepauk pitch likely to turn from first day

• Axar Patel fit and 'raring to go' for the second Test

• India need more control from bowlers and more luck for batsmen

The first would be to tackle the pitch, which, unlike the first couple of days in the first Test, could turn sharper from the first day itself and may crumble and deteriorate more easily because of the nature of the soil being used for it. This time, they are also without Jofra Archer, whose new-ball burst rattled India in the first innings, and Anderson, whose reverse swing with the old ball on the fifth day broke India’s back. Stuart Broad’s experience will fill Anderson’s hole but an attack without both Anderson and Archer all of a sudden looks a bit careworn.Root named England’s XII on the eve of the Test, confirming Dom Bess would be replaced by Moeen Ali, who brings with him the experience of having played five Tests in India, but with an unimpressive record. England’s biggest task would be to figure out how to pick 20 wickets again.Happy fans show off their tickets for the second India-England Test•AFP via Getty Images

The worries for India are much bigger. “How badly we batted in the first innings is the main reason why we couldn’t get back into the game,” Kohli said after the Pune loss to Australia in 2017, but the words ring ominous a day before the second Chennai Test, where the batsmen who were guilty of soft dismissals in the first Test would be eager to take more responsibility. India must also strengthen the spin attack as the support spinners – Washington Sundar and Shahbaz Nadeem – didn’t create “enough pressure” in the 70 overs they bowled together in the first innings for 265 runs and only two wickets. With or without the performances from the rest of the XI, and the luck of the toss going either way, Kohli would be eager to bring out his team with the necessary intensity and intention of levelling the series before the pink-ball Test in Ahmedabad.What could work in India’s favour is the return of spectators at 50% capacity at MA Chidambaram Stadium. Spectators are also going to have access to stands I, J and K, which had been shut for over nine years because of issues between the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and the local municipality.

Form guide

India LWDWL
England WWWDD

In the spotlight

Despite the MCG century and the series win in Australia, Ajinkya Rahane‘s home form has been under scrutiny. Dating back to when England last toured India, in 2016-17, Rahane has averaged only 31.17 at home from 30 innings, with only one century in more than eight series. The focus on him will be sharper if the Chennai pitch turns even more in the second Test because Rahane is not India’s best batsman on raging turners. His overall form has taken a bit of hit too since the MCG knock, with scores of 1, 0, 37, 24, 22 and 4 this year, for an average of 14.66.3:09

Aakash Chopra: India expect ‘more from Rahane; he should fire’

England’s hopes of taking control on a turner would again rest on Jack Leach, whose turn and control to dismiss Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara in the fourth innings in the first Test were some of the best deliveries in the series already. He has already taken 16 wickets this year, including his tally of 10 in Sri Lanka, and so far in this series it’s only Rishabh Pant, who gave the left-arm spinner a runaround. In Leach’s own words, Pant is the only one who has dominated him. All the other frontline Indian batsmen are right-handed, which will continue to work in Leach’s favour as he would probably be tossed the ball early again when India bat the second time.

Team news

With Axar Patel declared fit after missing the series opener with a knee injury, India are likely to hand him a debut in place of Nadeem. But can they make space for Kuldeep Yadav? If they need a more attacking spinner to make up for the inexperience of Patel, one option is to bring in Yadav in place of Sundar, whose batting should not be missed as R Ashwin and Patel can bat at Nos. 7 and 8.India probable: 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 R Ashwin, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/Washington Sundar, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Jasprit BumrahThe only speculation Root has left any room is about the second seamer to partner Broad: Chris Woakes or Olly Stone? England are set to make four changes, of which one was known (Ben Foakes for Jos Buttler), one is forced (a seamer for the injured Archer), one is performance-based (Ali for Bess), and the last is in line with England’s rotation policy to keep the fast bowlers’ legs fresh through the series (Broad for Anderson). The like-for-like replacement for Archer’s speed would be Stone, who bowls consistently over 90mph. But Woakes is more experienced and, perhaps, brings more control.England (probable): 1 Dom Sibley, 2 Rory Burns, 3 Dan Lawrence 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Ollie Pope, 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Moeen Ali, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Chris Woakes/Olly Stone, 11 Jack Leach

Pitch and conditions

As the temperature continues to be in the early to mid-30s in Chennai, the dry Chepauk track is expected to turn sharper in the second Test as it will be played on a different pitch, which was covered at times in the lead up to the game to protect it from the beating sun. The ball could turn from day one this time, and the pitch could disintegrate very quickly. How much the new pitch is able to maintain its bounce over the length of the Test would be of interest.

Stats and trivia

• If India win the second Test, Kohli will equal MS Dhoni’s record (21) for most wins by an India captain at home.
• The last time India lost two Tests in a series at home was also to England, in 2012-13. The last time they lost the first and second Test of a series at home was against South Africa in 1999-2000 in a two-match series
• Root is just eight short of going past Ricky Ponting’s tally (1889) of runs among non-Asian batsmen in Asia. Only Alastair Cook (2710) and Jacques Kallis (2058) are ahead of Ponting. Root could also become only the third visiting batsman to score 2000 runs in Asia.
• Ashwin needs just three wickets to go past Harbhajan Singh’s 265 wickets in India. Should he pass Singh, Ashwin will become the second-most prolific bowler in Tests in India after Anil Kumble (350). Ashwin would also have played ten fewer Tests than Singh to pass him.
  

  Quotes

  “[The pitch] looks completely different, I am sure it will turn from day one. We will have to wait and see how it behaves in the first session and take it from there. We have to forget what happened in the first Test and focus on this. Play good cricket. And we know these conditions really well. We have to put our best foot forward tomorrow and play as a team.”
  “We know he’s a good player. We know he’s going to score runs at some point on this tour and we’ve just got to keep him as quiet as we can. We’ve got to keep delivering our best balls, time and time again, and keep trying to challenge his defence as often as possible to try and build pressure on him. We know he’s one of the world’s best players and he’ll be desperate to prove a point this week.”