England's predicted playing XI for the 1st Test vs India
England and India face off at Chennai in the first of 4 Tests starting on the 5th of February.
Both teams come into this series with ICC Test Championship series wins under their belt away from home. While Joe Root's side whitewashed a miserable Sri Lankan outfit 2-0, India pulled off a historic 2-1 win over Australia Down Under.
England stuck to their policy of resting key players by excluding the likes of Sam Curran, Mark Wood and Jonny Bairstow from their squad for the first two Tests. However, Ben Stokes, Rory Burns and Jofra Archer, who didn't take part in the Sri Lanka series, return to the side.
England's squad for the first two Tests against India: Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (wicket-keeper), Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes (wicket-keeper), Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes
Here is England's predicted playing XI for the 1st Test against India.
Openers: Rory Burns, Dom Sibley
England opened with Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley in the recently concluded Test series against Sri Lanka, and both players didn't really impress.
While Sibley scored an unbeaten fifty in the second innings of the 2nd Test, Crawley should concede the his opening slot to Rory Burns, who was rested for the series.
Both Sibley and Burns have divided opinion in their short Test career so far. They appear rather ungainly at the crease, and don't have the textbook technique that is expected of English Test openers. They also aren't free-scoring batsmen, and often opt to get stuck in and blunt the new ball rather than take the attack to the bowlers.
However, at the end of the day, they're effective. Burns and Sibley will have a challenge on their hands in their first tour of India, and they'll want to make an impact like Alastair Cook and Haseeb Hameed made in the past.