Best cricket bets and expert advice for the India vs England second Test
England won a thrilling first Test against India in Hyderabad and Ben Stokes' men are aiming for more of the same when the second Test starts on Friday, live on talkSPORT.
Both teams suffered significant injuries during England's 28-run victory in the opening game of the five-Test series.
Jack Leach, the tourists' most experienced spinner, is sidelined by a knee injury, while India will be missing Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul, as well as star batter Virat Kohli, for the Visakhapatnam clash.
- Ben Duckett to be England Top Batter - 1st Innings @ 11/2
- Axar Patel to be India Top Bowler - 1st Innings @ 31/10
- Shubman Gill Under 30.5 Runs - 1st Innings @ 17/20
Back Duckett to build on promising Hyderabad knocks
Ollie Pope's second-innings 196 was the foundation for England's remarkable comeback in Hyderabad, where they overcame a 190-run first-innings deficit to inflict only India's fourth defeat in their last 48 home matches.
However, openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett played important supporting roles, posting first-wicket stands of 55 and 45, and Duckett is a tempting bet to top-score in the first dig in Vizag.
The left-hander had a tough time at the venue on England's 2016 tour, scoring five and nought, but he has been a revelation in the second act of his Test career.
He returned to the side as an opener on the tour of Pakistan in December 2022, scoring 107, 0, 63, 79, 26 and 82 not out, before a brisk 84 in the first innings of the first Test against New Zealand in February 2023.
Duckett cemented his place at the top of the order last summer, racking up 182 against Ireland and 98 and 83 against Australia in his first two Test appearances at Lord's.
His knocks of 35 and 47 in Hyderabad suggest he has a clear gameplan against India's pace bowlers and spinners and he could kick on with a substantial first-innings score in the second Test.
Spin ace Axar should relish extra responsibility
Jadeja and Leach, two left-arm spinners, are sidelined for the Vizag Test match but India's Axar Patel, another southpaw, poses a major threat.
England's management discussed fielding an all-spin bowling attack before Leach was ruled out, so they are clearly expecting a turning pitch for the second game of the series.
Axar took three wickets in the first Test, bowling only 29 overs compared with Jadeja's 52 and Ravichandran Ashwin's 50, but he should play a more integral role for the hosts this time around.
He showed glimpses of his class last time out, bowling Jonny Bairstow with a beauty and England will have vivid memories of his performances in the 2021 series, when he took 27 wickets in three matches at an average of just 10.59.
India star under pressure after lean spell with bat
India's Shubman Gill is a potential batting superstar in all three formats, but the number three was not at his best in Hyderabad and may struggle to clear a first-innings runs line of 30.5.
Gill's World Cup campaign last October and November was disrupted by illness and he was dismissed for four in India's disappointing defeat to Australia in the final.
He made two, 26, 36 and 10in two Test matches in South Africa just after Christmas and fell twice to debutant spinner Tom Hartley in the first Test against England.
Gill played an ugly shot in the first innings, when he was caught at midwicket for a scratchy 23 off 66 balls, before a second-ball duck in the second innings, so he comes into the Visakhapatnam Test under a bit of pressure.
- Ben Duckett to be England Top Batter - 1st Innings @ 11/2
- Axar Patel to be India Top Bowler - 1st Innings @ 31/10
- Shubman Gill Under 30.5 Runs - 1st Innings @ 17/20
*all odds correct at time of writing
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