Author Photo
Brendon McCullum
Getty Images

England head coach Brendon McCullum has not ruled out the possibility of his team playing four spinners in Visakhapatnam in the second Test against India. 

The English spinners gave India a taste of their own medicine in the first Test in Hyderabad, with debutant Tom Hartley's heroics - 7-62 in the 2nd innings - allowed England to beat India by 28 runs and pick a 1-0 lead in the series. 

Bet here on India vs England and other cricket matches!

In the game, not a single wicket was taken by any English pacers. Heck, Mark Wood was the only fast bowler in the bowling attack, with Jack Leach, Tom Hartley, and Rehan Ahmed completing the bowling lineup. 

Joe Root also rolled his arms over and was successful in the 1st innings, picking up 4 wickets. 

McCullum, though, has claimed that England would not be afraid to play an all-spin attack if the pitches continue to spin as much as they did in Hyderabad.

MORE: What is India's record in Visakhapatnam? 

What did Brendon McCullum say ahead of the second Test vs India?

Speaking at SENZ Radio, McCullum talked about a host of things, including what could the team dynamics be in the second Test. 

The England head coach talked about uncapped spinner Shoaib Bashir, who is now available for selection for the second Test after the 20-year-old missed the first Test due to visa-related issues.

[Bashir], again like Tom Hartley, has little first-class experience but we thought his skill could help us in here. The guys gave him a huge cheer and he witnessed the Test win. He also comes into calculations for the next Test match. If the wickets continue to spin as much as what we saw in the first Test as the series goes on, look, we won’t be afraid to play all spinners, or a balance of what we've got.

How would England line up if they go with four spinners?

Well, the lineup would look pretty much the same as the first Test, with the only change being Shoaib Bashir coming in for Mark Wood, or for Ben Foakes. If the latter happens, Jonny Bairstow could take up the wicketkeeping duties. 

England's potential XI for the 2nd Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Ollie Pope, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes (WK), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, Jack Leach

If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Sporting News has editorial oversight for this content. Learn more >

Author(s)
Parshva Shah Photo

Parshva is a Content Producer for The Sporting News' India edition.