IND vs ENG 2021: Captains Virat Kohli and Joe Root pose with the silverware on the eve of the 1st Test
With just one day left until the first Test, the BCCI shared a picture of both captains, Virat Kohli and Joe Root, with the trophy. The much-awaited India-England series is set to begin on August 4 in Nottingham. The series is part of the World Test Championship and both teams will be looking to be at their best.
The England side have home advantage which will play a key role. Virat Kohli acknowledged after the World Test Championship final that game time in England is very important.
The Indian team has been in England for over two months now but have not played much cricket. They were given a break after the World Test championship final and entered the bio-bubble in mid-July. India played a warm-up match against the County XI but Kohli was not a part of the team.
Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli did not play the warm-up game as they were nursing injuries. It will be interesting to see if they can be at their best in the first match without any real game time. The Indian middle-order has not been firing and they will need Rahane and Kohli to put up a good showing in England.
Virat Kohli and Joe Root will have a tough time selecting the playing XI
While both India and England have some great players, injuries and players backing out have meant that the captains will have to form a new balanced XI. For India, Shubhman Gill, Washington Sundar and Avesh Khan have been ruled out of the series while Mayank Agarwal has been ruled out of the first Test. Kohli will now have to decide who can open with Rohit Sharma.
Coming to England, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer will miss this series. Archer is nursing an injury while Stokes has opted out due to mental health issues. The pacer, though a vital part of the English team, can be replaced due to the vast resources that England have. However, that is not quite the case with Ben Stokes. The all-rounder is one of the best Test players in the world and can contribute in all three departments.
Virat Kohli will breathe easy knowing that Stokes and Archer will not be part of the team they face. Joe Root, though confident, has often said that this Indian team can beat anyone in the world. Both sides seem prepared and it will be interesting to see who can bring their A-game on to the field in the first Test.