India batsmen, primarily, Kedar Jadhav and Virat Kohli, showed their class in Pune to help the home team emerge triumphant and take 1-0 lead in the best of three-match ODI series against England. The visitors will be keen to bounce back from that stunning loss, where they were huge favourites after piling up 350 runs, as India and England prepare for the second ODI at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.
Read: India vs England second ODI schedule
This is a must-win game for England if they are to stay alive in the ODI series, else the third match in Kolkata will be a dead rubber. India, on the other hand, will go for the kill in the second ODI and win the series in Cuttack itself with another impressive performance. For either team to win, their players need to stand up and deliver in the second ODI.
Here is a look at key players from both sides for the second ODI
India
Kedar Jadhav
The middle order batsman played an innings of his life in the first ODI, scoring an amazing 76-ball 120. England might not have any plans against Jadhav in the first ODI, but Eoin Morgan's team must have chalked out some plans to stop the player from playing another swashbuckling innings. After that fantastic knock, Jadhav needs to come up with another stunning performance to prove that his ton was not a flash in the pan. If he can once again impress with a good score, he will gain immense confidence and further cement his place in the ODI side.
Yuvraj Singh
The elegant left-hander will have to stay longer at the crease, score good runs and justify his selection ahead of players like Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane. There is huge competition for batting slots, and another failure in Cuttack could be disastrous for the recently married man of India cricket. He should take his time, get his eye in and then play his shots. Once in full flow, there are few bowlers in world cricket who can silence the left-hander.
England
Jason Roy
There is no two ways about Roy's batting. He loves to take on the bowlers when the field restrictions are on, all around the ground. Once he gets his eye in, he needs to make sure that he converts that start into a century and help the middle order take advantage. England will look for another flying start from Roy in the second ODI. The right-hander, if he plays for around 30 overs, can help his team take the driver's seat and pose problems for India.
Ben Stokes
The English all-rounder was impressive in the Test series, and he continued that good form in the first ODI as well with both the bat and ball. Stokes has a knack of picking wickets, and Morgan will want his pacer to dislodge India batsmen for cheap runs. The left-hander can destroy any attack in the world with his batting exploits. With Stokes being effective against both spin and pace, he can play an important role in the second ODI.
