Three changes Indian cricket team needs to make for second Test vs England

The Indian cricket team began their tour of England with a loss in the opening Test match in Leeds on the final day of the game. England managed to chase down the 371 runs needed to win the game without breaking a sweat. Jamie Smith and Joe Root stayed not out as the pair added 71 unbeaten runs for the sixth wicket in just 87 balls. 

This was also the first time in cricketing history that a team had lost after five centuries were scored in a single game. Shubman Gill’s captaincy career didn’t get off to a great start, as the 25-year-old has come in for harsh criticism from fans. Gautam Gambhir’s coaching is also under the scanner, as this is the third successive loss in the longest format of the game. India also are winless in five Tests, having last won in Perth. 

Shubman Gill and his side will now play England in the second Test match starting on the second of July in Edgbaston and look to square the series. It won't be easy for the Indian cricket team, considering that England boasts a great record in Birmingham. The touring side will be keen to put the loss in Leeds behind them and come out all guns blazing in the next match. 

Here are the three changes Team India needs to make for the next game

3- Nitish Reddy in for Shardul Thakur. 

Veteran all-rounder Shardul Thakur came up with a shocking performance in the first Test match in Leeds. 33-year-old scored a total of five runs in the game and managed to pick just two wickets. Thakur bowled a total of 16 overs and gave away 89 runs in the game for his two scalps. The veteran player was recalled into the side on the back of his amazing performances for Mumbai in domestic cricket. Considering India suffered two batting collapses in both innings, Nitish Kumar Reddy can be the right candidate to replace Thakur in the playing XI for the second Test. Reddy played all five Test matches in Australia and also scored a century in the fourth Test match in Melbourne. 

2- Abhimanyu Easwaran in for Sai Sudharsan. 

Left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan made his Test debut in the first game that was played in Leeds, scoring 30 runs. Sudharsan scored a duck in the first innings and scored 30 in the second innings but was dismissed by Ben Stokes in each innings. The 23-year-old is a very good batter with immense potential but isn’t quite ready for the larger tasks at hand in the longest format of the game. Abhimanyu Easwaran, on the other hand, has been a long-standing servant in domestic cricket with over 7000 runs. The right-handed batter had a good time with the bat for India A in the game against England Lions. Easwaran could replace Sudharsan at number three and give the much-needed steel that the touring side needs. 

1- Arshdeep Singh for Prasidh Krishna

Right-arm pacer Prasidh Krishna bowled a total of 35 overs and gave away 220 runs while taking five wickets. The Gujarat Titans bowler was impressive in patches but his economy rate will be a huge cause of concern for the touring side. Arshdeep Singh can be draughted in just to give something different to the bowling attack. Singh, with his natural ability to swing the ball, could pose lots of problems for the English bowlers. Edgbaston is likely to be cloudy and cold on each of the five days of the game. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley were largely untroubled in the second innings of the game. Singh’s inclusion will be a huge addition for India if they have to win the second Test and square the series before heading to Lord’s.