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

Wicketkeeper and all-rounder

Hardik Pandya was good with the bat in the first Test

Wriddhiman Saha ruled out, Dinesh Karthik became the automatic first-choice wicketkeeper ahead of Rishabh Pant. He got out to a brilliant ball in the first innings and when his partnership with Virat Kohli was giving India some hope, he unnecessarily poked outside the off-stump and got out. His wicketkeeping, on the other hand, was nowhere up to the mark as he failed to collect the ball and often dived in front of the slip fielder and caused him some distraction.

Irrespective of that, Karthik will don the gloves ahead of Rishabh Pant at Lord's. Hardik Pandya, in spite of all the criticisms he faced in the first Test, batted well before getting out to a brilliant delivery from Sam Curran and poked outside the off-stump to hand England the victory in the second. He was at ease against the England pacers and was India's second best batsman in the first Test. Kohli should be using Hardik more often with the ball in the upcoming matches.