Last Updated on 4 weeks by Charbel Coorey

ENG vs PAK 2nd Test Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs PAK 2nd Test Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Pakistan 2nd Test Dream11 | ENG vs PAK 2nd Test Key Players | Southampton Pitch Report

Welcome back, Test cricket. We have had two thrilling matches in the space of a month, with the latest being an incredible counterattack that will be remembered for a long time to come.

England looked gone in the opening Test. WinVIZ had them at just a 16% chance of winning, after being reduced to 117/5 in pursuit of 277. But, we talk about having players who could influence a game; players who can deliver the goods for your side when needed most. Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes did just that, staging a memorable counterattack to seal one of England’s finest wins in recent times.

Now, after finally winning the first Test of a series, England can look forward to sealing this one. However, Ben Stokes, their inspirational all-rounder, will miss the remainder of the series for family reasons. So, as thoughts are with Stokes and his family, can England perform without the insurance of their star all-rounder being there?

How do Pakistan bounce back? 2020 has been an incredibly unpredictable year, but one thing for certain is Pakistan cricket’s unpredictability. Their first match back after the coronavirus-enforced break had a mix of the sublime and the ridiculous, as the spotlight now shines even brighter on skipper Azhar Ali. Also, there is the question of Pakistan’s team balance, which needs to be answered effectively as the series shifts to Southampton.

Inzamam-ul-Haq believes they are better than England. Can Pakistan justify his belief, or will the disappointment of Old Trafford be too much to recover from?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

• Jos Buttler was in the spotlight early in the Old Trafford Test, after his difficult time with the gloves. However, his batting form is picking up, with 220 runs in his last five knocks (avg. 44). Also, Buttler averages 75.77 in three Tests at the Ageas Bowl.
• Buttler and Chris Woakes could be crucial in the absence of Stokes. Woakes was outstanding last Test, scoring a superb 84* along with four wickets.
• No Ben Stokes will likely mean Joe Root moves back to his preferred no. 4 position (should England pick Zak Crawley at three). Root’s Test average is 49.23 in 72 innings at four, compared to 38.66 in 53 at three.
• Also, Root has an excellent record vs Pakistan, averaging 57.17 in 10 Tests (972 runs).
• England’s excellent win should not make us forget Shan Masood’s superb 156 in the first innings. In 2016, Shan averaged just 17.75 in two Tests in England. This time around, he looks much more assured around his off-stump. A key player.
• Babar Azam is also crucial for Pakistan, once again. His class was on show at Old Trafford during his first innings 69. Also, Babar has 1,449 Test runs at 63.00 since the beginning of 2018.
• Can Rory Burns and Dom Sibley, two players who showed promising signs against West Indies, blunt Pakistan’s new ball efforts? Their average opening partnership is 34.57 so far this summer.
• Asad Shafiq has crossed 20 six times in 12 innings in England, for two fifties and a hundred. Can he improve on this conversion rate?
• Ollie Pope has batted well in recent times, particularly with England under pressure. He has scored 91 and 62 in his last two Tests, and came in with England tottering both times (122/4 and 12/3).
• Stuart Broad is in wonderful form. He has taken 22 wickets in three Tests since being left out, with 109 runs at 54.50 as well. Also, Broad has 60 wickets vs Pakistan at 23.11.
• Mohammad Abbas will be key, especially with the new ball. Of course, that ball to Ben Stokes comes to mind. Abbas averages 16.23 in three Tests in England.
• Yasir Shah believed the pitches will turn in England, and he has proven to be right. He is coming off eight wickets in the last match.
• James Anderson (64 wickets at 19.81 vs Pakistan) is set to play. He denied retirement rumours and is very keen to keep playing on. Also, can Jofra Archer, if picked, up the ante with the spotlight on him? He took a solid 3/59 in the first innings at Old Trafford.

Stats and Facts

• The average first innings score at the Ageas Bowl is 300.75 (four Tests). However, that number is given a huge boost thanks to England’s 569/7d v India in 2014. The other three scores have been 184, 246 and most recently, England’s 204 a month ago.
• Azhar Ali has been in poor form in recent times, especially away from Asia. In the last three years, Azhar has scored just 212 runs at an average of 11.77 outside Asia (one fifty in 18 innings).
• England’s win at Old Trafford was the first time they won the first Test of a series since Sri Lanka in 2018.

Possible Playing 11

Ben Stokes is out for the remainder of the Test series (details here). So, England would likely look to shore up their batting, with Zak Crawley a chance to come back at three.

Also, England could look to rest one of their pace bowlers, after Ollie Robinson was brought into the squad to join the likes of Mark Wood. England could choose to rest Jofra Archer, as James Anderson (who denied retirement rumours), is set to play.

England: 1. Rory Burns, 2. Dominic Sibley, 3. Zak Crawley, 4. Joe Root (c), 5. Ollie Pope, 6. Jos Buttler (wk), 7. Chris Woakes, 8. Dom Bess, 9. Stuart Broad, 10. James Anderson 11. Jofra Archer/Mark Wood

Shadab Khan had a limited role in the last Test. So, a key question for Pakistan is what team combination do they go with at the Ageas Bowl? Haris Sohail or Fawad Alam to add more to their batting?

Inzamam is still confident Pakistan can win the series, so getting the XI right is key.

Pakistan: 1. Shan Masood, 2. Abid Ali, 3. Azhar Ali (c), 4. Babar Azam, 5. Asad Shafiq, 6. Haris Sohail/Fawad Alam, 7. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 8. Yasir Shah, 9. Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10. Mohammad Abbas, 11. Naseem Shah

Pitch and Conditions

Unfortunately, the weather forecast doesn’t look too good in Southampton throughout the Test. Expect rain to play a part.

However, the Southampton pitch has provided assistance to both pace and spin bowlers, with the most recent example being West Indies’ superb win last month. So, even if rain plays a part, there could be time for a result given the fragile batting lineups. Also, the likes of Moeen Ali have enjoyed bowling at Southampton, so the spinners could prove key here.

Dream11 Prediction

Looking for more Fantasy Cricket tips? Check out our dedicated article here.

Option 1:

Option 2:

Dream11 and Fantasy Cricket content for you to enjoy on CricBlog:

• MyClubtap: Fantasy Cricket for your own club or league
• 3 tips and tricks to win in Dream11 Grand League
• 6 tips to increase chances of winning in Dream11
• MyTeam11 vs Dream11: Which is better for you?
• Pros and cons of Dream11’s deadline decision

Match Prediction

Pakistan actually had the better of most of the first Test, but fell short. How they respond, as well as how kind the weather is, will be key.

However, England at home, makes them the favourites once again, even without Ben Stokes this time around. Their runs down the order could prove crucial again, and is a key area where they can get the better of Pakistan.

Thanks for reading!

Looking for an alternative option for live cricket commentary? Flashscore Cricket cover live ball-by-ball commentary for all international cricket and the IPL. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter