🇮🇳 India vs England 2nd Test 2025 Preview: High-Stakes Battle at Edgbaston 🏏🔥
🏟️ Match Overview
- Match: India vs England – 2nd Test
- Series: Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, 2025
- Date: July 2–6, 2025
- Venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham
- Start Time: 3:30 PM IST | 11:00 AM local time
- Broadcast: Sony Sports (TV), Jiohotstar (Streaming) 📺📱
🔙 Recap: England Stuns India in the 1st Test
England took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after chasing down 371 runs in just 82 overs at Headingley — one of the highest successful run chases in Test history. 🧨
🚀 Ben Duckett’s 149, combined with key knocks from Crawley and Root, showcased the strength of England’s aggressive “Bazball” approach.
India, despite scoring five centuries — Jaiswal, Gill, Rahul, and two by Rishabh Pant — crumbled due to poor fielding (6 drops) and lower-order collapses. Now, all eyes are on Edgbaston, where the stakes are even higher.
🇮🇳 Team India Preview: Batting Firepower, Bowling Questions 🤔
✅ Strengths
- Top order in form: Jaiswal, Gill, Rahul, and Pant are all among the runs.
- Rishabh Pant scored a historic twin-century (134 & 118) and remains India’s biggest threat.
- Opportunity for Kuldeep Yadav to bring in spin variation.
❌ Concerns
- Jasprit Bumrah is likely rested, which weakens the pace attack significantly.
- Prasidh Krishna’s economy rate (6.28) was the worst for India in Tests.
- Sloppy fielding: 6 drops in Leeds, including 4 by Jaiswal.
- Lower-order batting continues to collapse under pressure.
🌟 Key Players
- Rishabh Pant – explosive with the bat, but must improve wicketkeeping.
- Shubman Gill – needs to lead with sharp tactics and maintain momentum.
- Mohammed Siraj – will spearhead India’s pace attack.
- Kuldeep Yadav – could thrive if the pitch turns on Days 4–5.
🔁 Probable XI
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill (c), KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sai Sudharsan, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy/Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna.
🏴 Team England Preview: Riding the Bazball Wave 🌊
✅ Strengths
- Aggressive batting unit with successful chases under their belt.
- Duckett, Crawley, and Root look solid at the top.
- Josh Tongue impressed with 7 wickets in the first Test.
- Ben Stokes remains the anchor with bat, ball, and captaincy.
❌ Concerns
- Spin department lacks bite — Bashir leaked runs in Leeds.
- Bowling first could be risky on a flat Edgbaston track.
- Jofra Archer’s return is still under debate.
🌟 Key Players
- Ben Duckett – destructive opener who thrives against spin.
- Ben Stokes – tactical leader and game-changer.
- Josh Tongue – quick, aggressive, and in rhythm.
- Joe Root – sharp in the slips and a stabilizer with the bat.
🔁 Probable XI
Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Woakes, Carse, Tongue, Bashir.
🔥 Key Battles to Watch
| 🔄 Match-up | 🎯 Why It’s Crucial |
|---|---|
| Duckett vs Jadeja/Kuldeep | Can India contain Duckett’s reverse sweeps with spin? |
| Pant vs Tongue | Pant fell to Tongue in Leeds — a rematch worth watching! |
| Siraj vs Crawley | Early wickets are crucial; Crawley escaped twice last time. |
🏖️ Edgbaston Pitch & Weather Report
- Pitch: Traditionally good for batting. Expect turn late in the match.
- Day 1: Might help seamers with slight overcast conditions.
- Days 4–5: Spinners could get assistance.
- Weather: Mostly clear, but light rain showers possible. ☁️🌦️
- Toss: Winning the toss and batting first is ideal — but England’s confidence chasing makes things tricky.
📊 Head-to-Head Stats & Milestones
- India at Edgbaston: Lost 4 of the last 5 Tests here.
- England under Bazball: 6 successful chases of 250+ in the Stokes-McCullum era.
- Joe Root: Tied with Dravid (210 catches), could become the all-time top Test fielder.
- Rishabh Pant: First Asian wicketkeeper to score 3,000+ runs in SENA countries with 7 Test centuries.
📺 How to Watch – Broadcast Info
- 🕒 Start Time: 3:30 PM IST | 11:00 AM UK
- 📡 TV Channels (India): Sony Sports 1, 3, and 5 (HD/SD)
- 📲 Live Streaming: Free on Jio Hotstar
🔮 Match Prediction: Who Holds the Edge?
England head into Edgbaston with momentum and home advantage, making them slight favorites. However, India’s power-packed batting lineup, led by Pant and Gill, gives them a real shot — if they fix their fielding and bowl with control.
A high-scoring draw is possible if rain intervenes. But if India bats first and scores over 450 runs, they could put England under serious pressure.
📊 Quick Comparison: India vs England at a Glance
| Category | 🇮🇳 India | 🏴 England |
|---|---|---|
| Bowling Attack | Weakened without Bumrah | Strong with Tongue & Carse |
| Batting Form | Five centuries in 1st Test | Duckett & Crawley in top form |
| Fielding | Six dropped catches | Root leads sharp slip cordon |
| Key Concern | Struggling to take 20 wickets | Managing India’s batting depth |
🏁 Final Thoughts: All Eyes on Birmingham
India must bounce back strongly to level the series and stay in the World Test Championship race. Without Bumrah, they'll need smart captaincy, better fielding, and disciplined bowling to challenge England’s fearless brand of cricket
With stars like Pant, Gill, Stokes, Duckett, Root, and Kuldeep in action, fans can expect five days of high-quality Test cricket. 🎉🏏
Stay tuned for updates, live coverage, and post-match analysis as the battle at Edgbaston unfolds.
Will England double their lead, or will India strike back in style?
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