England vs India 2018: India's predicted XI for the second Test

Middle-order - KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane

One more chance for KL Rahul?

KL Rahul batted at number 3 ahead of Cheteshwar Pujara in the first Test and hardly made a notable contribution. It will be interesting to see what the team management does when it comes to picking the crucial number 3 batsman. Pujara should ideally be reinstated into the playing XI but there are more chances that Kohli could persist with Rahul for one more match at least.

Skipper Virat Kohli, who was India's only bright spot with the bat in the first Test, will bat at number 4 while his deputy Ajinkya Rahane will take care of the number 5 spot. Rahane was far from his best in the Edgbaston Test and the team management will hope that the Indian vice-captain finds his form back at the venue where he scored a century in 2014.