IND vs WI 2nd Test: Ravindra Jadeja or Axar Patel, Jaydev Unadkat or Navdeep Saini - the Indian Team might be having some brain work to do as they gear up to face West Indies in the second Test match. India and West Indies face in a record 100th Test at Port of Spain, Trinidad as the hosts look to fightback. Runners-up of both the previous World Test Championship finals, India began the third one with a dominant win over the hosts at Windsor Park in Dominica. As they are unbeaten against the Windies since 2002, Sharma's men would look to keep the run going.
However, India would be having some choices to make for the second Test match of the series with quite a few options open for them. The Indian captain Sharma claimed that the team would like to give chances to the players who have not played much cricket and this could force some changes.
Axar Patel, Navdeep Saini can get a game
Notably, if India have to give games to the other players, getting the likes of Axar Patel and Navdeep Saini would be a good idea. Patel is considered as the next big spinning option for India after Ravindra Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin and giving him some game time can help him stay fresh. Patel played the Border Gavaskar series hosted by India earlier this year but he was not part of the World Test Championship final.
If India want to get him in, either Ravindra Jadeja or a pacer will have to make way. If there will be enough turn on the pitch, the Men in Blue can go with three spinners otherwise two are enough. Notably, Saini must be given a game in all likelihood if we go by Rohit Sharma's words. The pacer has not played a Test match for more than two years. To make him enter the team, either Jaydev Unadkat or Shardul Thakur will have to give their spots.
There shall be no changes in the batting order as the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill are expected to be given longer runs in their respective places. The second match of the series will be played at Port of Spain from July 20 onwards.
India's Probable XI:
Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravindra Jadeja/Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat/Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Siraj