MUMBAI, July 2 -- As India's second Test against England starts at Edgbaston on Wednesday, fixing the gaps from the opening game defeat at Headingley, where half of the Subhman Gill-led side did extremely well and the other half flopped, will be important. In batting, Karun Nair's comeback and Sai Sudharsan's debut proved forgettable affairs. In bowling, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Kirshna and Shardul Thakur were found wanting in playing the support role to Jasprit Bumrah. These five have been left to rue how their inability to raise their game meant some superb performances by their teammates went in vain and India lost after scoring five centuries. As he reflects on his game during the long break between the Tests, Nair would have seen a pattern in the way his last series went in 2017, and his dismissals in Leeds last week - out playing loose shots. Inability to capitalise on starts was his undoing in the 2017 home series against Australia. He played three Tests and started with a 26 at Bengaluru (India won), scored a 23 in Ranchi (draw) and was out for five in Dharamsala. He looked comfortable in all the games but couldn't cash in. The Leeds Test was his first after eight years. Nair's challenge is also to adjust batting slot. Though against the Aussies in 2017 he batted at No.6 and 7, he would have been more at ease from No.3 to No.5. Now in England, the team needs him in a different role. Rishabh Pant is established at No.5 and Gill at No.4 while India decided to blood Sudharsan at No.3. Batting at No. 6 also calls for the temperament to handle pressure and shepherd the lower order. Fingers were pointed at Nair for the Leeds defeat because the lower order failed in both innings. He fell for 0 and 20 and wasn't there to guide the tail. In the second innings, Jadeja (25*) tried, but ran out of partners. England exploited the weakness of left-hander Sudharsan's leg-side play, skipper Ben Stokes removing him for 0 and 30. In the first innings, he flicked to the keeper, and in the second he flicked to short midwicket. In English conditions, playing forceful shots is fraught with risk. It is better to play with soft hands and under the eyeline. The ball moves late and it is unwise to look to muscle the ball like in the sub-continent. It demands mental skills, the right gameplan, and constant assessment of the weather and pitch conditions. Though spinners will have a role to play in Edgbaston, usually in English conditions the onus is on the pacers to lead the bowling. At Leeds, the pacers couldn't support Bumrah. Compare it to the 2021 series - Bumrah had solid support from Ishant Sharma, Siraj, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav. Even Shardul provided breakthroughs. In the Lord's victory, Bumrah went wicketless in the first innings but Ishant, Shami and Siraj shared nine wickets. On batting pitches, channel bowling is key. At Leeds, the pacers other than Bumrah were too inconsistent. Siraj had figures of 27-0-122-2 and 14-1-51-0 (3.64). An India Test pacer for more than four years, more was expected of the Hyderabad bowler. Siraj's cross-seam deliveries were easily dealt with. In English conditions, there is more reward using an upright seam and getting the ball to move. He will have to set the tone for the other bowlers at Edgbaston if Bumrah is rested. After forgettable figures of 20-0-128-3 and 15-0-92-2, Prasidh would have learnt that he can't overdo the short stuff. He was picked from outside off-stump and pulled with disdain. His best chance to take wickets is by pitching it up, as his two second innings wickets at Leeds showed. The striking thing with Shardul is that when the team is anxious for runs he will play a valuable cameo and when it is desperate for wickets he will provide breakthroughs, not an all-rounder who always hits a fifty and gets five wickets. The typical Shardul was missing at Leeds as spells of 6-0-38-0 and 10-0-51-2 and being dismissed cheaply (1 and 4 runs) showed. India will need a better effort than Headingley if they are to level the five-Test series....