IND v WI 2018: 3 changes that Team India should make in the second Test at Hyderabad

The second Test between India and West Indies to be played in Hyderabad from October 12.

India smashed West Indies to smithereens in the first Test at Rajkot of the two-match series. India recorded their biggest win in terms of runs, as they crushed Windies by an innings and 272 runs to go 1-0 up in the series.

India batted just once in the Test to pile 649/9d with Kohli, Shaw, and Jadeja hitting centuries and then Ashwin with a four-wicket haul in 1^st innings and Kuldeep with a fifer in second, decimated the Windies batting on a Rajkot wicket that turned from day one.

The second Test will be played at Hyderabad from October 12 and it gives Indian team management a chance to give rest to a few regulars and give chances to some budding youngsters who have made quite a name for themselves in domestic cricket and got a chance to become part of the Indian squad.

Therefore, Team COC gives you the three changes that Team India might make in the second Test at Hyderabad.

Mohammed Siraj in for Mohammad Shami

Mohammad Shami has worked on his fitness quite a lot and was also looking a different person mentally given all that he has gone through off the field. First of all, Shami played all the five Tests in England without breaking down and against West Indies, too, he was brilliant, giving important breakthroughs at the top of the order.

However, one must not chance their luck unnecessarily and with the more important Australia tour to follow; Indian team management should give Shami a well-deserved break in the second Test and bring in a young gun, who has been in the news for quite some time.

That young fast bowler is Hyderabad’s own Mohammed Siraj. The 24-year-old fast bowler has already played 3 T20Is for India, taking three wickets, but has been in some terrific red-ball form off late. Apart from picking 10 wickets in a match against SA A for India A, he picked 11 wickets against the Australia A team including a career-best 8/59 in Bengaluru recently.   

He is in very good knick and that’s the right time to insert him in the middle and give him his big break on a ground that he is familiar with, his home ground. Siraj has the pace and the stamina to bowl long spells at good speeds and trouble the batsmen. All he needs is a chance to stake a claim for the upcoming tour of Down Under.

Mayank Agarwal in for KL Rahul

Mayank Agarwal is the person who has almost broken the proverbial door down with his performances in the domestic cricket. 1,160 runs in 2017-18 Ranji Trophy and more runs in the domestic limited overs tournaments put Mayank Agarwal in the front of the line for selectors to give a chance. He scored 2,141 runs across all formats, the highest total by any batsman in an Indian domestic season.

However, he waited and waited and in meantime kept piling on the runs with India A on England tour. Then came back and scored against SA A and Aus A in both List A and FC matches. He even made 90 against WI in the practice game before the first Test, leading him to be picked for the Indian team against Windies.

Now with an emphatic win over Windies, it can only be a better time to give Mayank a chance in the batting XI, probably in place of KL Rahul, who was cleaned up by Gabriel for a duck in the first Test and despite that, will probably go to Australia nonetheless.

With the opening combination in limbo given the loss of form of M Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan; Mayank Agarwal is the best bet for Australia and giving him a chance to debut against Windies in Hyderabad can only do wonders to his confidence and like Shaw, a wonderful start to his career will only be good for the Indian team’s future as well.

Hanuma Vihari in for Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane, the Indian vice-captain has struggled to score big runs this year. During the recently concluded England tour, he played only two innings of note- an 81 and a 51 on the whole tour.  Against Windies in the first Test also, he just made 41 runs and his lack of big runs has not gone unnoticed.

It might be a good thing to give him a break and try out Hanuma Vihari in his place. A break might do wonders for Rahane, who will be a key player in the tour to Australia; while Vihari will get a chance to solidify his claim for a middle-order spot after his debut 50 against England.

Given that Vihari can also bowl a few overs, might tempt the team management to play him as the Hyderabad pitch tends to favor spinners and if Vihari’s turn comes to bat, he could set himself for a big one.