Should K L Rahul Be Axed?

Team India were jolted by an inspired New Zealand in the first Test in Bengaluru.

But the hosts have very little time to brush off the loss and pick themselves up, with the second Test commencing in Pune on Thursday, October 24, 2024.

New Zealand pacers scripted a collapse in India's first innings in Bengaluru, with four of its top seven batters out for a duck out in a home Test.

Virat Kohli (0 off 9), K L Rahul (0 off 6), Sarfaraz Khan (0 off 3) and Ravindra Jadeja (0 off 6) were sent back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers.

Kohli (70) and Sarfaraz (150) redeemed themselves in the second essay, but Rahul did not do himself any favours.

In the second innings in Bengaluru, India needed Rahul to bat long to help swell the target, but all he cculd manage was 12, attracting the ire of social media.

Rahul made his Test debut in 2014 and made a promising start, but has fallen off the wagon thereafter with inconsistent performances and spate of injuries keeping him in and out of the team.

For a player with technique and grace to succeed in Test cricket, Rahul has flattered to deceive, particularly in the recent past.

In his last 10 Test innings, he has hit just 2 half centuries (86 vs England in January 2024 and 68 vs Bangladesh in September 2024) and one century (vs South Africa in December 2023).

Shubman Gill, who was out injured with a stiff neck, is expected to walk back into the team for the 2nd Test.

With Rahul's form suspect and Sarfaraz hitting the right notes, it will be foolhardy of Head Coach Gautam Gambhir to bench the Mumbai batter.

India strengthened their spin attack ahead of the second Test with Washington Sundar getting a recall, a move that could see Mohammed Siraj out of the reckoning.

Going by Pune's track record, the ball is expected to turn from Day 1 and India will likely go in with a four-pronged spin attack with Sundar making it to the Playing XI.

Sundar's confidence will be sky high, having hit a century for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy match against Delhi on Sunday, October 20.

Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets a piece in Bengaluru and both left handers will play able allies to the leader of the tweak pack, veteran Ravichandran Ashwin.

If India are to come back and maintain their unbeaten run of 18 Test series wins, it's the spinners who will have to put the hosts in the driver's seat from the get go in Pune.

Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.

Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the second Test against New Zealand?

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