IND vs ENG 2022: 3 player battles to watch out for as India take on new-look England
India may have taken the lead in the five-match Test series 2-1 against England in 2021, but the rescheduled fifth Test promises to be a fight for the finish as the home side look to even the scoreline.
The fact that there is a royal tussle on the cards stems from the 3-0 whitewash they handed New Zealand. With a new skipper and coach in Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, the Englishmen have gotten off to a dream start.
Deciding the final outcome of the fifth and final Test, which starts on July 1 at Edgbaston, will be a skirmish between some of the big names from both sides.
On that note, we take a look at three player battles to watch out for when India lock horns with England.
#1 Former India skipper Virat Kohli vs James Anderson
In the four Tests that India played against England on their tour last year, Virat Kohli was dismissed just twice by James Anderson. While he didn't have a defining tour like he did in 2018, the former India skipper managed to rack up a couple of half-centuries and two 40-odd scores.
Anderson will be keen to get Kohli nicked off again, especially after keeping an eye on the warm-up game where the talismanic batter had scores of 33 and 67.
#2 Jasprit Bumrah vs Joe Root
It's sheer pace vs clinical precision batsmanship as Jasprit Bumrah loads up to bowl against Joe Root. The former England skipper seems to have rediscovered his mojo after handing over the captaincy to Ben Stokes.
Root comes to Edgbaston with scores of 11, 115*, 176, 3, 5, and 86*. His good run of form was vital in helping England demolish New Zealand 3-0 in the three-match Test series.
Bumrah has dismissed Root six times in all their encounters, followed by Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, who have got the better of him five times each.
#3 Jonny Bairstow vs Mohammad Shami
Jonny Bairstow was the demolition man tasked with taking the attack to the opposition against New Zealand. The move paid off as the Yorkshire wicket-keeper slammed two centuries and a fifty, making him the highest run-scorer in Tests in 2022 so far.
Up against him will be India's pace spearhead Mohammad Shami, who has the ability to swing the ball both ways while putting some nippy pace into it. This match-up just might determine the outcome of the match.