IND vs ENG: Three Indian Players Who Might Be Dropped for the Second Test

Following a patchy performance in the first Test between India and England, the focus has immediately turned towards team selection for the second match. India's close loss—or to put it better, missed chances—have had fans and pundits wondering about some of the decisions made by the team management. Though Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah's combination as leaders showed promise in spells, the form and consistency of a few players have become a concern. Coming up with the second Test, India may have to reconsider their pairing in order to take back the series. These are three players who could seriously face being dropped for the next game.

1. Sarfaraz Khan – A Convincing Beginning, But Not Yet

Sarfaraz Khan's Test debut was a hotly awaited one. The Mumbai batsman, who has been accumulating mountains of runs in domestic cricket, finally found his day on the big stage. But his beginning wasn't as convincing as expected. Sarfaraz played smoothly at first but couldn't cash his start into a big score.

What damaged his prospects more was his shot choice in times of pressure. Against England's tight bowling unit, he fell into moments that spoke about inexperience at the top level. In Indian conditions, where competition is high in the middle order, even one failure brings attention to it.

With seasoned campaigners like KL Rahul likely to come back from a small niggle and young players like Rajat Patidar and Sai Sudharsan sitting on the bench, Sarfaraz might be left out for a while. The administration might be keen on a more established middle-order batman to shore up innings in tight situations.

2. Mukesh Kumar – Struggling to Find Rhythm

Mukesh Kumar's emergence in India's pace ranks has been through sheer hard work and persistence. Yet, during the first Test, he failed to make the kind of impact that a frontline seamer is expected to make. His speed was consistent enough, but the surface providing no movement and bite left his spells looking unidimensional.

Under Indian conditions, where the spinners are a major factor, the supporting pacer has to provide control and breakthroughs with the old ball. Mukesh did neither. With Mohammed Siraj being rested for the first Test, India might try to replace him for the second game, giving an injection of aggression and variety to the pace unit.

Mukesh's exclusion won't exactly be a tough decision—it will be a strategic tweak. Siraj's experience and turning the ball could be game-changers against England's middle order, which seemed at ease against India's second-line pacers.

3. KS Bharat – Glovework Good, Batting Still a Concern

KS Bharat's wicketkeeping is beyond question—he has remained consistent behind the stumps, particularly against the turning ball. But it's his batting which has been criticized. Bharat's failure to contribute in partnerships or score runs down the order has exposed India to trouble in lower-order collapses.

His recent Test scores have been modest, and with England's spinners piling on the pressure against him, the confidence issue in batting is clear. The selectors might be tempted to test Dhruv Jurel or Ishan Kishan, depending on the conditions and balance in the team. Kishan aggressive batting and left-handed dominance could bring in the depth in the batting order, particularly if India decides to play in a more attacking mode in the second Test.

Balancing Experience with Opportunity

The second Test provides India with a crucial chance to square the series. The management's dilemma is balancing supporting young guns with the need for instant results. The return of the senior players such as KL Rahul and Siraj will see the core gain momentum, but difficult decisions will be needed to accommodate them.

India's bench depth is still unmatched, but changes are never smooth. With the hosts seeking to address their mistakes in the first Test—whether it is shot choice, bowling consistency, or middle-order solidity—the probable changes may set the tone for the rest of the series.

Though releasing players after a single game might appear severe, the intensity of Test cricket, particularly at home, requires nothing less than perfection. The second Test will tell if India's tweaks can return their winning ways—or create fresh controversies regarding the team's direction in this post-Rohit, post-Kohli era.