The first Test between India and New Zealand witnessed one of the most enthralling draws in the history of Test cricket but now the time is over to ponder over what might have been as the second Test is not that far away. The second Test between India and New Zealand is scheduled to be commencing on Friday (December 3) at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
The game will be witnessing teh comeback of the Indian skipper, Virat Kohli, however, his comeback has left some selection dilemma for the hosts. With Shreyas Iyer becoming the first Indian debutant to score 50+ scores in both the innings of his debut Test, he cannot be dropped and with the poor form of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, the choice has been made all the more difficult on who should go out of the XI to make way for Kohli.
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Rahane and Pujara failed to do much with the bat in the first Test, and the road ahead looks difficult for the once-reliable Test batters of the Indian team. However, the management is expected to stick with these two for atleast the Mumbai Test. Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha suffered a stiff neck in the first Test, so he might make way for Srikar Bharat who can also bat as an opener. So in all probability, Kohli will come in place of Mayank Agarwal into the lineup.
India
The hosts are expected to bite the bullet and leave out Pujara and retain Mayank Agarwal at the top and Iyer in the middle order. There is also a possibility that wicketkeeper KS Bharat will make his debut. Ishant Sharma could make away for Mohammed Siraj.
Probable XI: Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, and Umesh Yadav
New Zealand
The visitors will be expected to field the same playing XI in Mumbai as well.
Probable XI: Tom Latham, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell, Rachim Ravindran, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Ajaz Patel, Will Somerville
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
Wriddhiman Saha, Virat Kohli (c), Kane Williamson (vc), Tom Latham, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson, Ajaz Patel
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
Tom Blundell, Ross Taylor, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Shubman Gill, Ravichandran Ashwin (c), Ravindra Jadeja (vc), Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Kyle Jamieson
