'Shardul could miss out': Dinesh Karthik names India's playing XI, makes one big change

Team India heads into the second Test match against West Indies at the Queen’s Park Oval on Thursday, July 20 with a 1-0 lead to their credit. India won by a mammoth margin of an innings and 141 runs in the Test series opener in Dominica after a dominating performance in all departments. While opener Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a sensational knock of 171 runs on debut, captain Rohit Sharma hit 103 runs, while Virat Kohli scored a hard-fought knock of 76 runs and R Ashwin returned with the match figures of 12/131.

3 Things You Need To Know

• The WI vs IND first Test match concluded within 3 days
• WI scored 150 and 130 runs respectively in their two batting innings
• India batted only once in Dominica and scored 421 runs at the loss of 5 wickets

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Dinesh Karthik provides his verdict on India’s playing XI for the 2nd Test vs Windies

India ticked all boxes during the first Test against West Indies, with both bowlers and batsmen coming up with notable performances. With the kind of dominance displayed by India, it is less likely that Rohit Sharma would look to make changes in the playing XI. However, the second Test might be an opportunity for Team India to give match-time to newcomers like Mukesh Kumar.

Mukesh is said to be groomed to share the load with Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Suraj, and Jasprit Bumrah. It is highly possible that Mukesh might replace Jaydev Unadkat or Shardul Thakur. On the contrary, Indian cricket veteran Dinesh Karthik revealed he feels India doesn’t need any changes to the XI.

[India after defeating Windies in the 1st Test | Image: AP]

"There is no room for a change unless there's a change"

"India won't make any changes be it their mindset, skillset or playing XI. They will bring the same brand of cricket to the table. They have been very strong, very sure about what they want. The Ashwin-Jadeja combo has done wonders. Debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal has done well. There is no room for a change unless there's a change. They have had a five-day break. In the Caribbean, you generally go to the beaches and that's what they must've done for the first two-three days and then they would've practised for two days," Karthik told Cricbuzz.

"Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin were unsurprisingly sensational, and Ashwin didn’t even need to come in to bat in Roseau between his 12-wicket haul. The safety they provide to the late middle order will also give Sharma the opportunity to test out Mukesh Kumar with a potential debut. Shardul Thakur could miss out, but with strength in depth needed for red-ball seamers, Kumar might be given a run in Port of Spain."

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The West Indies vs India, 2nd Test match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm IST on Thursday, July 20.