India look to break Lord’s jinx

London, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) India and their frontline batsmen will have history against them when they take on England in the second Test here at Lord's from Thursday.

India have won only two of the 18 Test matches they have played at the venue, considered to be the home of Test cricket. The last of their victories came on the 2014 tour, 28 years after their first win in 1986.

India's top batsmen, skipper Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara don't have a flattering record at the venue, where the slope can have great impact and affect a batsman's stance.

Kohli, Pujara and Rahane have played two Tests each at Lord's. While No. 4 batsman Kohli averages 16.25, No. 3 batsman Pujara averages 22.25. Rahane is a shade better with 34.75 thanks to a century he scored in 2014.

There has been only one century from the six outings made by India's top three batsmen and that came off Rahane's bat in 2014.

India will also have to look at their bowling combination. It is likely that India may go in with four seamers and one spinner in the Test match as Kohli has made it clear.

Whether they bring in R Ashwin is the question. Ashwin has had a good outing in England so far -- in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand and a county game for Somerset -- and his omission from the first Test surprised many ex-cricketers.

Shardul Thakur too is not available for the second Test, confirmed BCCI.

India may also consider pace bowler Ishant Sharma who drove India to victory when they last won a Test at Lord's in 2014.

The 32-year-old 102-Test veteran had picked seven wickets for 74 runs in 23 overs to lead India to a 95-run win in the second Test in 2014 to help India take 1-0 lead in the series before England came back to win the last three Tests.

Source: IANS