India v England, Second Test, Wankhede Stadium Mumbai

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So the 2nd test of the 4 match series between India and England is getting underway at Mumbai's Wankhede stadium from tomorrow. The hosts are leading the series after their win in the first test at Ahmedabad.
The track is expected to have assistance for spinners, but the possible bounce from the track and proximity to the sea might offer something for the seamers as well. The pitch was previously used in a Ranji match where Sachin Tendulkar and Ajinkya Rahane had scored hundreds.
The weather is expected to stay good.
Both sides have injury concerns going into the match. Fast bowler Umesh Yadav is unlikely to be risked as he's not fully recovered from the back problems that necessitated calling up Ashok Dinda as cover for the 2nd match in a row. However Dinda, who had covered for Ishant Sharma is unlikely to make it to the playing side, Ishant should be the prefered option. This will be Virender Sehwag's hundredth test. India probable side.
Virender Sehwag
Gautam Gambhir
Cheteshwar Pujara
Sachin Tendulkar
Virat Kohli
Yuvraj Singh
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Ravichandran Ashwin
Zaheer Khan
Ishant Sharma
Pragyan Ojha.
As for England Ian Bell is unavailable for selection as he's on paternity leave. Stuart Broad has some fitness concerns. Tim Bresnan had a shocker of a match last time round, continuing a prolonged form slump. Steven Finn continues to be unfit. Cricinfo seems to think that Eoin Morgan, and Jonny Bairstow is likely to make it to the side in place of Bell.
England probable
Alastair Cook
Nick Compton
Jonathan Trott
Kevin Pietersen
Eoin Morgan/Jonny Bairstow
Samit Patel
Matt Prior
Stuart Broad?
Graeme Swann
James Anderson
Monty Panesar.
In 2006 England won at Mumbai on the back of an all-round performance from captain Andrew Flintoff and good bowling performances from James Anderson and Shaun Udal. The last test at the venue produced a very exciting match that finished as a draw with the scores leveled.

Sehwag has been riding his luck yet again.

Good to see Anderson bowling at a decent pace.

Panesar being milked with worrying ease at the moment, bowling much too flat still for my liking. Sehwag extremely fortunate to still be there, but it will worry England that he is...

First hour gone, pretty even so far. Need a couple more wickets in the second hour if possible before India start laying the foundations for a big first innings total

drinks. Good stuff from Broad and Anderson, paces are up but maybe bowling a little bit too short.

Panesar needs to give the ball more flight and less pace. I'd like to see Swann into the attack now for Panesar, keep Anderson going for 2-3 overs and bring back in monty.

Shane Warne is on commentary. He's together with Ganguly and Shastry they have some nice bit of banter going, with Dada Sourav at the receiving end.

Just noticed Harbhajan Singh's wickets at Wankhede came at under 20. But then those days he new how to bowl in test matches.

Decent start by England, luck hasn't gone our way so far. Need at least 2 more wickets in this session and we can count it as successful for England.

56mph, gripped and got stuck in the pitch. 58-60 not much at all, hint hint monty

grmph, Pujara, frustrated, with a slightly wild flash but it lands just short of point...

That's the big wicket, Sehwag gone, Panesar with the wicket!.

get in there! beauty from Panesar and we finally get sehwag, big wicket and he finally flighted a ball!!!!

GONE! nothing sort of wicket for England, as Sehwag plays all around a full straight ball and Monty has struck!

time for a bit of swann maybe.

Panesar gets the wicket, shows what I know

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS got him. Game on. A bit of luck Eng's way.

Sehwag's 'done a Pietersen' there, well done Monty!

come on get tendulkar early and it really is game on

Sachin Tendulkar in at 4, at his home ground. He hasn't been among the runs of late and the question has been asked and the noise is getting a little louder.

They are targeting Tendulkar's stumps, trying to get him bowled or LBW.

26 innings without a hundred for Sachin, averaging 34 in that period. Atm I'm much more worried about Kohli and Yuvraj but that's not to say Tendulka won't turn it around today

Yes, England are right in it, Sachin Tendulkar gone, bowled again and its Monty again.

stunner from monty, huge wicket, game on now........

GONE! absolute beauty from Panesar and Tendulkar is clean bowled! superb delivery

master monty

Wowwwwwww dreamland, Tendulkar gone. Go Monty.

India 60/3 yes 60/3.

Virat Kohli has a job on his hands. He struggled against Swann in the last match, but India need him and Pujara to weather the storm first and get this innings back on track.

well I was about to write that despite the wicket I ddidn't think Monty had actually bowled particularly well here, but that is an absolute peach of a ball, not much Tendulkar could do about it, and the pressure is right on India...

I love ya Monty! 2 cracking balls to remove Sehwag and Jimmy's bunny. Have to press the advantage now with India 60/3. Where's Swanny, bring him on!

Penasar justifying his selection already, with 2 massive wickets.

And i thought that Monty should have been off before his lucky 1st wkt

Surely Swann needs to be bowling now

too full from Broad, and it's driven for four, but is that a hint of reverse swing? I think it is you know...

crap from board, get swann on!!!

striving too hard for a wicket there Broad, I don't mind the bumper, it was excellently played, but England need to remember what they've done so well this morning...

I am really shocked by this start from England

Swann is on.

Nice contest this so far msp. Quite a difference from the last test and as an England fan, i am not complaining

Yes billy, a good pitch producing a good contest.
But England will have to bat really well, there will be lots of help for the spinners and India even have a 3rd regular spinner although he hasn't been taking too many wickets of late.

msp83 wrote:Yes billy, a good pitch producing a good contest.
But England will have to bat really well, there will be lots of help for the spinners and India even have a 3rd regular spinner batsman who bowls part-time spin although he hasn't been taking too many wickets of late.

fixed that for you

I have hope this test msp. After the second innings last test i think that England may just do ok. Trott and KP cant fail again

This should be the last over before lunch?

lunch, and England's session without a doubt. They'll be delighted to have picked up the three wickets on what looks a pretty good pitch to bat on. India will be hoping Pujara can repeat last test's heroics and that Kohli or Yuvraj can come to the party.

England's session. They really should be looking to bowl India out today, after this pair they haven't got much batting. Come on England, no let up!

87-3 at lunch, has to be England's morning. Monty was terrific and Anderson bowled very well. Jimmy's pace was up and he was getting the ball to do a little bit. Swann has had a steady start. Broad has let the pressure slip a bit with few loose balls now and then, but even his pace was up for a change.
India have lots of work to do here. This track doesn't look a 500 in the first innings pitch, but they wouldn't like the look that scoreboard one bit. Pujara is set and he has to stay focused and play a big one. Kohli has looked good in his short stay at the creas, he has to make it a long stay if India are to get out of a rather tight corner.

India wont be too disappointed i feel. Its tough going out there and they have a decent bowling attack to defend a decent score. Any score around 350 may be a match winning score.

meanwhile, over in Perth, Dave Warner's dismissed Hashim Amla

Dave Warner is having a test isnt he

Warner indeed is having a good game, remember even the national selectors were not all that confident about him saving his place for this match. If watson was fit, perhaps Warner may not even have played this match.

In the other ongoing test match between Bangladesh and the West Indies, Marlon Samuels has just reached his double hundred.

not much happening since lunch, a few singles, England keeping it tight but not really threatening. Think about giving Anderson a go?