England vs West Indies 2nd Test: 5 things to watch out for as captain Root returns

#2 Will England make the right call by playing Stuart Broad?

Broad will be a handful in the overcast conditions at Old Trafford

Stand-in captain Ben Stokes shockingly dropped Stuart Broad for the 1st Test, and the legendary pacer's replacements Jofra Archer and Mark Wood didn't do so well. The latter, in particular, was ineffective, and with the conditions at Old Trafford expected to favour the pacers, we could see England's second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket make a return.

Broad will be raring to prove the management wrong and with 485 Test wickets to his name, it is all but certain that he will know how to get the best of the conditions at his disposal. Archer should retain his place after a fiery fourth-innings spell, and the attack of James Anderson, Broad and Archer spells doom for the Windies.

The top order of Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, and Shai Hope all promised in the 1st Test, although they didn't exactly deliver, but they will be in for a much greater challenge against two of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. If Broad gets the nod, that is.

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#1 Can Joe Root's return save England from an embarrassing home defeat?

The pressure on Joe Root is high with the series hanging in the balance

England can take solace from the fact that their captain Joe Root is returning. As mentioned earlier, in place of whom is still a question, but the Three Lions' 10th highest run-scorer in Test cricket should solidify the batting lineup.

With Holder, Gabriel, and Roach as effective as Anderson and Broad in overcast conditions, the onus will be on the Yorkshireman to produce the goods with the series on the line. The 3-Test series is hanging in the balance and with the West Indies buoyed not only by their victory in the 1st Test but also by off-the-field movements, Joe Root will have to lead from the front in an otherwise inexperienced side.

Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Crawley, and Pope are all fairly new to Test cricket, and Root will have to channel every ounce of concentration in him if he is to score big.