New Delhi, India

Rohit Sharma-led India lost the five-match Test series opener in Hyderabad to England by 28 runs on Sunday (Jan 28). Despite gaining a whopping 190-run lead, the hosts could not emerge on top. They had England reeling at 163 for 5 in their second innings but Ollie Pope's 196 propelled the visitors to 420, setting a 231-run target for the home side. In reply, India were dismissed for 202 with debutant spinner Tom Hartley returning with 7 for 62. Ahead of the second Test, England's former cricketer Geoffrey Boycott has made a bold claim. 

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India are without their experienced campaigners. Virat Kohli is out of action till the second Test due to personal reasons whereas all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul joined the injury list and will miss the next Test match. Ahead of the second Test, in Visakhapatnam, Boycott predicted that Indian captain Rohit Sharma is well past his prime and India are due a series defeat at home in the purest format. India's last Test series defeat came versus England in 2012/13, when the Alastair Cook-led English side won a four-match series 2-1 over MS Dhoni & Co.

Boycott wrote in his column for The Telegraph, "India badly miss Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja has a hamstring injury and will not play the second Test. Their captain Rohit Sharma is nearly 37 and past his best. He makes pretty cameos but has scored only two Test hundreds at home in four years."

Also read: R Ashwin is India's second highest run-scorer: Harbhajan Singh on hosts' inexperienced squad for 2nd Test

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'Once in a while a team is in the right place at the right time to clinch a big series win and England could...'

Boycott opined, "Jadeja is a huge blow. He is a great all-rounder, top bowler, brilliant fielder and was their best batsman in the first Test. Kohli is their talisman. He is a magnificent batsman who averages 60 on Indian pitches but he also gives them great energy in the field. He is a big loss and England must make the most of it before he comes back for the third Test."

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"Once in a while a team are in the right place at the right time to clinch a big series win and England could be in that position right now in India. India are due a defeat at home, the signs are good as they have lost Kohli, Jadeja, Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant and are playing opponents full of confidence after a remarkable win. England must take this rare opportunity," he added.

India have an inexperienced squad for the second Test versus England, which gets underway on Friday (Feb 2) in Vizag. They have their back against the wall to stage a comeback after a shocking defeat in the Hyderabad Test.