India v England, 3rd Test - India Predicted XI

Team India managed to smell first blood in the series. They registered a remarkable win at Vizag to take a 1-0 lead in the series. After having escaped a close manage at Rajkot, Indians bounced back well to turn the fortunes in their favor. More or less, it was the turning wicket that worked in favor for the hosts. With a win to their name, they will surely walk in as the stronger unit when the two teams clash at Mohali.

The traditional wicket at Mohali seems to offer a bit more bounce compared to the other pitches in India. England are pondering over playing an extra pacer as a result of it. However, the hosts will perhaps go with a similar combination into the match. With their batting looking steady and bowling coming to terms quickly, skipper Virat Kohli has very less to worry about.

Having said that, it is worth noting that Virat Kohli has never fielded the same playing eleven in consecutive matches in his career as a captain. With a forced change coming as compulsion, the record remains intact. Wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha is officially ruled out of the match. Here is the predicted XI for the third Test between England and India:

Here is the India’s predicted XI for the third Test against England:

1. Murali Vijay

Murali Vijay had a great start to the series. He started off on a high with a brilliant 126 off 301 balls at Rajkot. He looked in a good touch in the second innings too. However, he could not do much in the Test that followed.

The Vizag Test saw him perform poorly by any of his standards. But the Tamil Nadu batsman is sure to continue to open for India in the third Test. He will be the senior partner in the opening slot for India.

2. KL Rahul

KL Rahul walked into the Indian eleven in the Vizag Test. He replaced Gautam Gambhir in the side. Rahul came in with a big reputation of an in-form player. He has actually been in a tremendous touch in the last 12 months or so. No wonder why he has the backing of the Indian skipper Virat Kohli.

Kohli had recently quoted that KL Rahul is his first choice opener if fit. Rahul failed to make a mark in the Vizag Test. He scored just 0 and 10. He will be itching to make a mark in the series.

3. Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara has been the mainstay of the Indian batting. After having had a poor outing in the Caribbean, he has come out strong in the last couple of series. Pujara struck a timely 124 in the Rajkot Test. In the Test at Vizag, he hit another ton and thereby hit 3 consecutive tons in 3 Tests.

He has played an important role forming marathon partnerships in the last two Tests which has given India a huge total on the board. The kind of form he is in, he holds the key in the middle order.

4. Virat Kohli

Indian Test skipper has been leading from the front in the Test series thus far. Barring his bizarre dismissal in the first innings of the Rajkot Test, Kohli’s batting has been impeccable. He hit a classy 49 to ensure India managed a draw in the Rajkot Test.

He continued his merry run at Vizag. With a scorching 167 to his name in the first innings, he put on a big stand with Cheteshwar Pujara. In the second innings too, when most of the batters struggled to bat well, Kohli stood firm and hit a timely 81.

5. Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane has been India’s only disappointment in the series so far. But in a long series such as this, it is only a matter of time that he bounces back in time. Rahane was in a fruitful run in the New Zealand series where he hit 188 in the Indore Test.

He has failed to translate the same form to the England series. But for a man of his calibre, it is only a matter of time that he bounces back and gets a big score under his name.

6. Parthiv Patel

Indian wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha has been ruled out of the Mohali Test. He will be replaced by Parthiv Patel in the lineup. Patel made his Test debut was back in 2002 in England. Since then the Gujarat wicket-keeper has come a long way. He has made sporadic appearances in the Indian team in absence of regular wicket-keepers.

This is a good chance for him to consolidate his position as India’s go-to wicket keeper in absence of Saha. Moreover, there have been questions over his selections. He was preferred over Rishabh Pant, who is in staggering form this season. Parthiv will have a point to prove in Mohali and justify his selection.

7. Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja bagged 3/86 in the first innings of the Rajkot Test to be the pick of the bowlers for India. He is the preferred all-rounder in the side. He got a good practice with the bat too in the Rajkot Test. He has been bowling in right areas.

The kind of support he gives to the likes of Ravi Ashwin and Jayant Yadav is the key to India’s success. He will be the third spinner in the team and surely retain his place in the eleven. He had a decent outing at Vizag scalping 3 wickets across both innings.

8. Ravi Ashwin

Ravi Ashwin has been the go-to man for team India. He drew a lot of criticism after a relatively poor show in the Rajkot Test. However, it was his batting that more than just covered up for his poor bowling. He returned back to form and showed why he is the top-ranked bowler in the world.

He bagged his first ever 5-wicket haul against England in the Vizag Test. He also contributed with the bat and scored yet another fifty, his second of the series. He will hold the key to India’s chances in the third Test.

9. Jayant Yadav

Off-spinner Jayant Yadav is likely to retain his place in the side. Despite rumours being that a fast bowling all-rounder like Hardik Pandya could make his case in the Mohali Test, it will only be unfair to drop Jayant. He played handy knocks in both the innings of his debut Test at Vizag.

He played with the tail and showed he had some prowess with the bat. Jayant, who has a double century in First Class cricket, was spot on with the ball too. He bagged 3 wickets in the second innings at Vizag that included a beauty to dismiss Ben Stokes.

10. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Pace bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar is likely to feature in the playing eleven at Mohali. Bhuvi was added to the Test side and it will only be a surprise if he does not take the field. Bhuvneshwar last played in the 2nd Test against New Zealand at Kolkata. He had bagged a five-wicket haul on the occasion.

With the conditions at Mohali being tailor made for a bowler like him, he can be a lethal weapon for Virat Kohli. He will most likely replace Umesh Yadav in the playing eleven. Yadav has been bowling well but failed to take wickets at frequent intervals.

11. Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami showed his class when he broke the off-stump of English skipper Alastair Cook in the Vizag Test. He just showed why he is the spearhead of the Indian attack. The kind of pressure he builds at the top is the reason why he is in the playing eleven.

Shami’s credentials are well known and he is the fixed pacer in the Indian bowling line-up. With reverse swing being one of his key components in bowling, he is equally good with old and the new ball. He bagged 3 wickets in the Vizag Test across both innings.