3 things India need to do right to beat England in the 2nd ODI ft. persist with Yashasvi Jaiswal

Cuttack, which hasn't hosted an ODI in quite a while, will feature a high-octane clash between India and England on Sunday, February 9. While the Men in Blue will want to seal the three-match series with a win in the second ODI, the visitors will be keen on drawing level.

Both teams are locked in preparation for the Champions Trophy. India turned in a fairly convincing display in the previous ODI but still have plenty of room for improvement, with questions over their ideal team combination. The hosts need to be on point from a tactical perspective if they are to make it consecutive wins against England.

India’s squad for the ODI series against England: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy.

On that note, here are three things India need to do right to beat England in the second ODI.

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#3 India need to continue to use Axar Patel as a floater

India v England - 1st ODI - Source: Getty

In the first ODI, India promoted Axar Patel to a middle-order role ahead of the likes of Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja. The left-hander notched up an assured half-century and gave Shubman Gill some important company after a few wickets fell early on.

That was the right move, and it would be in India's best interests to retain Axar as a left-handed floater in the middle order. He can take on spin well, and with Rahul being picked ahead of Rishabh Pant as the frontline wicket-keeper, the Men in Blue need a southpaw to navigate those challenging middle-overs situations.

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#2 The Yashasvi Jaiswal x Shreyas Iyer debate should end in favor of the former

India v England - 1st ODI - Source: Getty

Following the first ODI, Shreyas Iyer revealed that he wouldn't have played the contest if Virat Kohli had been fit. India see a role for Yashasvi Jaiswal in their playing XI in the 50-over format, and given the youngster's abilities and performances, it's not hard to see why.

Shreyas hasn't done much wrong in ODI cricket, and dropping him would certainly be unfair. But that's just how selection works in the Indian team, and Jaiswal simply has a higher upside. Gill has proven that he can do well in the middle order, and the left-hander can easily become one of the best openers in the format in the near future.

Jaiswal may have failed in the previous ODI, but he needs to be backed through thick and thin.

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#1 The hosts should consider playing Varun Chakaravarthy and Arshdeep Singh in Cuttack

India v England - 5th T20I - Source: Getty

Varun Chakaravarthy tormented England in the preceding T20I series, bamboozling them with his pace and guile. The spinner is yet to make his ODI debut, but skipper Rohit Sharma has confirmed that he is in the team's plans for the Champions Trophy.

Playing Chakaravarthy in Cuttack could help India. They'll need a point of difference on what it expected to be a flat track, and the Tamil Nadu man has proven capable of hitting the right areas on a consistent basis.

Another selection change India could consider is bringing in Arshdeep Singh for either Mohammed Shami or Harshit Rana. Phil Salt got a few boundaries away in the last game's powerplay, and Arshdeep's new-ball swing could be a big weapon in batting-friendly conditions.