India vs England Test Series 2018 - Preview and Playing XI
India and England face each other in the final chapter of India's 2018 tour, with the tourists having triumphed 2-1 in the T20i series. While British leveled the honors after a 2-1 thumping in ODI series.
India won their most recent Test series against the touring English team in November 2016 by 4-0. While India's July 2014 tour to England got off to the best possible start for tourists with a 1-0 lead after two Tests, but it all went downhill from there as they ended up losing next three games and series 3-1.
India: After winning 9 Test series in a row, the winning streak came to a halt in January 2018 with a 1-2 series loss in South Africa. After losing first two games by 72 and 135 runs respectively, Indians bounced back in the final test to win by 63 runs.
India has been dealt a major blow ahead of the Test series as Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been ruled out. He picked up the injury while bowling in the third one-day international against England.
While Jasprit Bumrah, who suffered an injury during the first T20I against Ireland, is yet to recover. The selectors have called up 23-year-old Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the first three Tests after his strong performances in limited-overs cricket.
With the bat, India is packed with tremendous talent. Kohli has scored 5554 runs in 66 test matches at an average of 53.4. While India's Test specialist Pujara has been the core of batting lineup and has 4531 runs in 58 games comprising 14 centuries and 17 half-centuries. Similarly, Rahane alongside Kartik are India's key figures in middle.
With the ball, Kuldeep impressed with a five-wicket haul in the first T20I at Old Trafford and claimed 6-25 in India's eight-wicket ODI win in Nottingham and is expected to trouble the English batsmen in tests as well. Ashwin and Jadeja have 316 and 171 wickets respectively and regarded as key wicket-takers for Men in Blue.
Expected Playing XI: Virat Kohli (C), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul or Murli Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Dinesh Karthik (WK), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma and Mohd. Shami.
England: England has been blowing hot and cold in the test format. In the last 10 bilateral series, they have emerged victorious in four, while they were on losing side in three and three ended drawn.
After a disappointing show in Australia (Ashes 2017-18) and New Zealand, where they lost five of their seven matches, the hosts would have regained some confidence after an innings and 55 runs victory over Pakistan in their previous Test match at Leeds.
The hosts are among those teams who are very difficult to beat in their own conditions. This can be proved by the fact that they haven't lost any home series in this format since July 2014. Their previous series defeat on English soil was in June 2014, when they lost to touring Sri Lankan side by 0-1.
With the bat, Root and Buttler will be the key for English Team. Both are in terrific form and are expected to trouble the Indian bowlers. Root has 5960 test runs comprising 13 centuries and 40 fifties. While Buttler who is going through the form of his life hit 8 half-centuries in just 20 test matches and was the key man in the victory over Pakistan.
Similarly, Cook also announced his comeback in an unofficial four-day test against touring India-A in Worchester. Former English Captain scored 180 runs off 268 Balls, having found the fence 26 times in his steady innings and the team would need him to replicate it.
England's bowling strength resides mainly in Anderson and Broad. Both are their most experienced bowlers in this format with 540 and 417 wickets respectively. In their previous fixture against Pakistan, Anderson took 3/43, 2/35 in two innings while Broad took 3/38, 3/28 in consecutive innings.
Expected Playing XI: Joe Root (C), Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Chris Woakes, KK Jennings, Moeen Ali, Jake Ball, Sam Curran or Dom Bess, Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad and James Anderson.