England Make Two Changes for Second Test vs India, Bashir Debuts, Anderson Returns
England will hand a test debut to off-spinner Shoaib Bashir and bring back veteran fast bowler James Anderson for the second match of the five-match series against India starting Friday in Visakhapatnam.
Bashir, 20, replaces fellow spinner Jack Leach, who injured his left knee during England’s thrilling 28-run victory in the first test at Hyderabad. Anderson, 41, comes in for Mark Wood, who went wicketless in the first test.
“The forced change, Bash coming in for Leachy, was a simple one: one spinner out, one spinner in,” England captain Ben Stokes told reporters on Thursday. “He (Bashir) looked very excited.”
Bashir missed the first test due to a visa delay and will join Rehan Ahmed and Tom Hartley in England’s spin-heavy attack, with Joe Root providing part-time spin options.
Anderson’s experience will be crucial, Stokes said, as England aim to topple India’s record of not losing a home test series since 2012.
“Bringing Jimmy in, we just feel like there’s a bit more I can turn to him for,” Stokes said. “Not only his new ball skills – reverse skills, his off-cutter skills and stuff like that.”
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India, already without batting mainstay Virat Kohli, suffered further blows with injuries to all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and batter KL Rahul in Hyderabad. Wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat, however, remained confident of a comeback.
“Credit where it’s due, they deserved to win (in Hyderabad),” Bharat said. “But we have bounced back previously as well so yeah, looking forward to this next challenge.”
India squandered a first-innings lead of 190 in Hyderabad, but Bharat urged calm within the team.
“The atmosphere was absolutely relaxed after the game,” he said. “The instruction is very clear, that it’s a long Test series and we … have to focus on good things. We just want to play good cricket.”
The second test starts Friday at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.
