Despite rain playing spoilsport for almost two days, Indian bowlers put up a spectacular show, pushing Sri Lanka to the edge of defeat. However, the Islanders were saved by bad light that ended the fifth day early and the Test was declared a draw. When the bails were drawn by the umpire, Indian pacers had reduced the visitors to 75/7 under fading light, in a chase for 231 victory target. Now, the action will shift to Nagpur and Virat Kohli and men will want to keep their perfect run against Sri Lanka intact. However, the winning combination of Kohli would not be playing in the second Test as Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been released from the squad. Kumar, on one hand, is getting married on Thursday, whereas Dhawan has cited personal reasons for the leave. So what will be the probable playing XI that Kohli would like to start with on Friday in Nagpur? Here is the predicted India's playing XI against Sri Lanka in 2nd Test. -
Murali Vijay- Vijay was not in the playing XI at Eden Gardens, but with Shikhar Dhawan now absent, he would be one of the top order batsmen to give India a strong start. (AP)
-
KL Rahul- Although he could not really do much in the first innings, Rahul made a comeback in the second innings by scoring 79 runs in 125 balls. (AP)
-
Ajinkya Rahane- Although he did not really do anything in Kolkata, Rahane has been an integral part of the Indian Test squad and he will try to make a mark in the Nagpur. (IE)
-
Cheteshwar Pujara- Pujara has been one of the most consistent players for India in Test and has proved his mettle time and again. In the first test he scored a total of 74 runs. (Reuters)
-
Virat Kohli- The skipper has been in spectacular form and he continued to show the masterclass as he scored the sole century of the first Test in Kolkata. With that, he became the second cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar to score 50 international centuries. (PTI)
-
Wriddhiman Saha- The man who is expected to fill the big boots of MS Dhoni, Saha took two catches Dinesh Chandimal and Dilruwan Perrera. He still has a long way to go and Kohli would like to give him more chances to prove his mettle. (Reuters)
Ravichandran Ashwin- Ashwin was not really used by Kohli, as the Indian seamers had done their job to stop the Sri Lankan players to a low score. Moreover, there was not much action to be seen at Eden due to rain and bad light. (AP) Ravindra Jadeja- Jadeja could not really showcase his bowling skills in the first Test, however, he did contribute crucial 31 runs to India's tally. (IE) -
Umesh Yadav- Along with Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav was the spearhead which helped India to reduce Sri Lanka at 75/7 on the fifth day. Now with Bhuvi absent from the next two Test, Yadav will have a big responsibility to lead the bowling attack. (AP)
-
Mohammed Shami- Shami was on a roll in the first Test taking six wickets in five days. He was an unstoppable force and would like to continue the current form in Nagpur. (AP)
-
Vijay Shankar- Vijay Shankar is replacing Bhuvi, for the next Test as he eye for the maiden debut. Shankar has proved himself in the domestic circuit and the 26-year-old all-rounder has made a reputation as a big hitter. Fans would love to see some big shots in Nagpur as India and Sri Lanka gear up for the second Test. (PTI)

Govt extended ITR AY 2025-26 deadline, but only 4.56 crore returns filed so far