5 major worries for India ahead of Test series against England

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After an emphatic series victory over India in the ODIs, England has pretty much solved the equation with the tour so far settled at 1-1 after the limited overs segment. The highly anticipated leg of the tour is in touching distance as things are evenly poised with both the teams eyeing on taking the honors by winning the long and grueling 5-match Test series that lies ahead of them.

Winning a Test series against England in their backyard is always a daunting task in hand. Knowing the fact that India’s last Test series win in this part of the world came 11 years ago, Virat Kohli and his boys will be aware of how things have panned out for them on their last two tours to England in 2011 and 2014.

As a determined squad embarks upon a new challenge, they will look to turn the tables in their favor by giving the English a taste of their medicine from the previous two tours. Having said that, problems galore for sub-continent giants as they will be eager to set them right before the series opener on August 1.

Here’s a look at some of the major problems that might worry Virat Kohli and Co.:

#1 Opening conundrum

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Ever since the departure of the settled pair of Sehwag-Gambhir, India have tried their luck many times but have failed to discover a permanent opening pair in whites. The race still continues to grow between the trio of Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, and KL Rahul. However, if Murali Vijay being the Test specialist finds a permanent spot for himself in the top of the order, it has always been his partner at the other end for whom Dhawan and Rahul continue to present their case. It is highly likely that Vijay-Dhawan might open for India in the first Test and KL Rahul will have to warm the benches to blame his luck.

Although this has been the story for quite some time now especially on the overseas tours. Dhawan always starts as the first-choice opener but his repeated failures make way for the backup to see him out by the end of the series. Even in India’s last overseas Test assignment against South Africa, Dhawan started the series as an opener but was made to sit out in the following two games. However, our question will be answered on the coming August 1 as we might prepare ourselves for all the possible surprises that Virat Kohli and his men are used to throwing at us.