In a welcome sign for the Indian team India ahead of the second Test in Chennai, all-rounder Axar Patel has been seen training with the Indian team on Thursday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Axar suffered a minor niggle during training just a few hours ahead of the 1st Test in Chennai and was ruled out hours before the toss.
Axar Patel was seen practicing with the Indian team on Thursday as the visitors hit the nets for the first since losing the 1st Test on Monday. Axar can be seen getting into the rhythm while bowling to Virat Kohli. In a video shared by the BCCI, Kohli was forced to play at front foot by Axar can be seen forcing Kohli to play on the front foot while also pushing him back regularly. Following his bowling stint, Axar also found time to bat in the nets, timing the ball well without any discomfort.
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The southpaw all-rounder is likely to find a place in the playing XI for the 2nd Test in place of Shahbaz Nadeem, considering Virat Kohli defended India’s decision of excluding Kuldeep Yadav in the first Test. The left-arm chinaman was initially picked in the 18-man squad but Nadeem, who was selected as a net bowler, got into the playing XI after Axar’s injury.
Look, who is back in the nets! @akshar2026 is here and raring to go! @Paytm #TeamIndia #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/HdaO9MgS9q
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 11, 2021
While Axar has not yet played a Test match for India, Nadeem got the nod due to his experience of having played a Test against South Africa in 2019. However, Nadeem was far from impressive as he struggled to contain the England batsmen in both innings. Nadeem conceded at 3.80 in the first innings and 4.40 in the 2nd as England batted India out of the contest, posting 578 in the first innings and 178 in the 2nd after deciding against enforcing a follow-on.
Nadeem managed to scalp just 4 wickets in the Test but he lacked consistency in lines and lengths and conceded boundaries quite regularly. In fact, visiting left-arm spinner Jack Leach comfortably outbowled Nadeem in the 2nd innings.
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Joe Root was the Man of the Match in the 1st Test as England took a 1-0 lead in the four-match Test series. The visiting skipper led from the front, scoring a mammoth 218 in the first innings and followed it up with a quickfire 40 in the 2nd. India and England will meet in the second Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium from Saturday, February 13.h
