CHENNAI: India warned England on Friday to expect a spin onslaught in the second Test as they bid to hit back after a crushing first Test defeat.

The hosts are looking to bounce back on Saturday after their 227-run loss in the opening match, a rare Test match win for England on Indian soil.

Chennai’s M A Chidambaram Stadium remains the venue for the second of the four Tests, but on a different pitch.

India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane backed his spinners to cause the visitors problems.

“[The pitch] looks completely different, I am sure it will turn from day number one,” Rahane told reporters. “We have to forget what happened in the last match, focus on this and play a good game. We know these conditions really, so we have to put our best foot forward.”

Senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed nine wickets in the first Test, but got little support from the other end as Shahbaz Nadeem and Washington Sundar leaked too many runs in England’s first innings total of 578, which was helped by a monstrous haul of 218 by England skipper Joe Root.

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel is back in the team after missing the opener with a knee injury while Nadeem is out of the squad.

“Everyone’s in the mix,” Rahane said without revealing the XI. “All our spinners are really good. If in India the ball is turning then the opposition is under pressure. I am not too concerned about how our spinners are bowling. I am sure they will come up with a plan and bowl well.”

Wicket-keeper/batsman Rishabh Pant has been in fine form with the bat, emerging as hero in India’s historic series win in Australia and making a crucial 91 in India’s first innings in Chennai.

But his glovework has put under the microscope after he missed a few chances behind the stumps.

Rahane said the up-and-coming player is a work in progress.

“I don’t think we should be that concerned. See wicketkeeping is tough,” said Rahane. “I am sure Rishabh will learn as he gets more India experience. It is a learning curve and he is practising hard. We have to back such a player as an individual and as a team because we know what he can do with his batting.”

England have made four changes to their playing side with Chris Woakes vying with Olly Stone for the final seamer’s place, Root said.

England have rested James Anderson, while stumper Jos Buttler will return home as part of the team’s policy to keep multi-format players fresh.

Off-spinner Dom Bess has been dropped after struggling in the second innings of the first Test, while speedster Jofra Archer will miss the match with an elbow injury.

Ben Foakes will substitute for Buttler behind the stumps for the rest of the four-Test series, while spin all-rounder Moeen Ali will replace Bess.

Veteran seamer Stuart Broad is back but Woakes will have to compete with Stone to break into the playing XI.

“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Root told a video conference about dropping Bess, who managed four first innings wicket. “The message for him moving forward is to keep working at that consistency of his game, delivering that skill time and time again.

“It gives Moeen a great opportunity to come back with all of his experience.”

Moeen’s 61st Test would be his first since August 2019, having taken a break from this format that year.

Anderson was keen to play on after a match winning spell on the final day last week, but Root justified the team’s rotation policy saying they had to look at the ‘bigger picture’. “I think it gives Jimmy the best opportunity to be fit and available for those last two games. Ideally, if he’s available for two of the last three, that’s a huge asset for us as a team.”

Root said the team would take a look at the pitch before deciding whether Stone or Woakes should play.

“With Stony, we can play with a similar balanced attack, someone that can come in at a high pace, give us a real point of difference in our seam department,” he said. “Or we could go down the road of Woakes who gives us great control, lengthens our batting and brings reverse swing massively into the game as well.

“So we feel either way, whichever balanced side we go with, we’re going to give ourselves a really good chance of taking 20 wickets in these conditions.”

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2021