What will be India’s XI for the second test?

After an entertaining and thrilling 1st test match that ended as a draw, both teams will now move to the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai for the 2nd and final match of the series.

The resilience from New Zealand’s tail-enders helped them to draw the 1st match but now they will face the brilliant Indian spin attack on a spinning track.

It will be a great test for their batters to tackle this spin web of team India.

India will definitely make some changes to the team for the 2nd Test match.

Let’s look at what might be the probable playing eleven.

1.Shubman Gill 

Gill played a good knock of 52 runs in the 1st innings of the last test match.

He has proved himself at the opening position with many good knocks during the past year.

Gill will be part of the team for the second match as an opener as he was looking in good touch.

2. Mayank Agarwal

Mayank Agarwal will be the second opener for team India in the 2nd Test as well.

The right-handed batter failed to score some big runs in the 1st Test, getting just 13 and 17 in both innings.

However, he is lucky that India does not have many options for the opening slot in this series because KL Rahul was injured before the series.

Hence, the Gill-Agarwal opening pair might feature again for India in the next match as well.

3. Virat Kohli

The permanent skipper, Virat Kohli will come back to the squad after missing the 1st Test match and now he will lead his side in the 2nd match against The Black Caps.

In the last series against England, Virat Kohli made 218 runs in 7 innings at an average of 31.14.

He failed to score big knocks but smashed two half-centuries during that series.

But he is a class player and hopefully, he will come good in this match. 

4. Ajinkya Rahane

The Vice-Captain, Ajinkya Rahane might be part of the 2nd Test but it is a close competition between him and Chateshwar Pujara who is also out of form.

Although, Ajinkya Rahane has consistently struggled to score runs in the last few Test matches but he is the vice-captain of the side and will not be benched so easily.

In the 1st Test match, Rahane was dismissed for 35 and 4 in the two innings. 

5. Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer, who made a dream debut in the 1st Test match might be in the next game as well, replacing most probably Cheteshwar Pujara.

The right-handed batter scored a brilliant century in the 1st innings and a very important half-century in the 2nd innings.

Iyer was also given the Player of the Match award for his outstanding batting.

With his brilliant performance in the previous game, the team will definitely give him another opportunity in the next Test match. 

6. Ravindra Jadeja

The star all-rounder of team India, Ravindra Jadeja will remain in the side for the 2nd test match.

In the last match, the left-handed batter gave an outstanding performance with both bat and ball.

Jadeja scored a crucial fifty and was a part of that important partnership with Iyer that helped his side to reach a total of 345 runs in the first innings.

Jadeja was also brilliant with the ball as well, he picked up 5 wickets in the match including the fabulous spell of 4-40 in the second innings

7. Wridhhiman Saha

Wridhhiman Saha will most probably be the wicket-keeper for the side in the 2nd Test match.

Saha got out early in the 1st innings after just scoring 1 run but he came back strongly in the second innings scoring a very crucial 61 not out when his side was struggling at 103-6.

His important knock helped his side to score enough runs on the board towards the end and set up a target of 284 for New Zealand in the final innings.

8. Axar Patel 

Axar Patel will be the part of the playing XI in the next game.

The left-arm spinner gave an outstanding performance in the 1st Test, picking up 6 wickets in the match including a 5-wicket haul in the 1st innings.

He also scored 28* runs in the 2nd innings. 

9. Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin will be obviously  the part of the side in the next Test.

The right-arm spinner did a great job in the 1st match, picking up 6 wickets in the match, and also contributed a bit with the bat in the second innings. 

10. Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj might be given an opportunity in the 2nd Test match instead of the experienced but out of form Ishant Sharma.

The experienced Ishant Sharma was the only bowler in the first test match who failed to pick up any wickets.

So Siraj might be given an opportunity to showcase his skills in the next match.

11. Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav might be the second seamer that India can pick in the next match.

Yadav picked up 2 wickets in the first Test, picking 1 wicket each in both the innings.

He performed better than Ishant Sharma, who went wicketless in the 1st match.