Team India succumbed to a shocking defeat at the hands of England in the Test opener at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

The hosts failed to make use of the chances to better effect, whereas the tourists capitalized on the chances and munched on the home side by staging a spectacular comeback in the second innings, which steered them on the right path, eventually ushering them to a scintillating win.

England took the first lead in the five-match Test series with a 28-run victory. Meanwhile, the second Test will kick off on February 2, Friday at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam. We will now take a glimpse at the three Indian players who should step up in the second Test.

Shubman Gill

A lot was expected of the youngster when he took Cheteshwar Pujara’s No.3 spot in the ongoing Test series. Nevertheless, he lacked the tenacity to anchor the innings in the Hyderabad Test as he could score 23 and 0. While he has made waves with the bat in white-ball cricket, he hasn’t been able to provide the spark in red-ball cricket. After back-to-back failures with the bat in the first Test, the young lad will look to come strong in the Vizag Test.

Shreyas Iyer

India’s middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer failed to lead the batting attack by example in the Hyderabad Test. When the team required him to assess the conditions and go about his business in the run-chase, he was dismissed disappointingly. Had he hunkered himself at the crease a little longer, it would have surely turned the fortunes around for India. He must be frustrated with the mode of his dismissal in the second innings. Iyer will be looking forward to approaching the second Test with zest and optimism.

Rohit Sharma

One of the biggest deficits that Rohit Sharma has been facing of late is his inability to convert the starts into big scores in recent years. While he has always maintained that it is crucial to play with intent in white-ball cricket, a fair assessment that has helped the team play aggressively, the same hasn’t been said about in Tests. He must have patience and perseverance in his approach in red-ball cricket, which might help him make a telling impact in the upcoming Test match.