Ind vs Eng, 2nd Test: India elects to bat first; Axar, Siraj and Kuldeep in XI

New Delhi: India won the toss and elected to bat first in the second Test against England at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Saturday.

Hosts are trailing by 0-1 in the four-match series after facing a 227-run defeat in the first Test. Cricket fans will enter a stadium in India for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020.

India made three changes to their playing XI. Skipper Virat Kohli handed a debut Test cap to all-rounder Axar Patel. He missed out on the series opener as he complained of pain in his left knee.

Apart from Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj come in for hosts in place of Shahbaz Nadeem and Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah has been rested for this match to manage his workloads. Washington Sundar did not find a place in the side.

Axar Patel makes his Test debut for India 👏

He gets his cap from Virat Kohli.#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/LowHqxx0jx

— ICC (@ICC) February 13, 2021

On the other hand, visitors made four changes to their playing XI. Pacer Jofra Archer was ruled out for the second Test on Thursday and Jos Buttler has been rested for the last three Tests. Dom Bess and James Anderson will also miss the second Test.

Ben Foakes, Stuart Broad, Olly Stone and Moeen Ali are playing in the second Test.

Team News:

3⃣ changes for #TeamIndia as @akshar2026, @imkuldeep18 & Mohammad Siraj named in the playing XI for the 2nd @Paytm #INDvENG Test!

England make 4⃣ changes to their XI from the first Test & bring in Stuart Broad, Ben Foakes, Moeen Ali & Olly Stone. pic.twitter.com/ZaiDKCjn4Y

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 13, 2021

India playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj.

England playing XI: Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Joe Root(c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes, Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, Olly Stone.