IND vs ENG: 1st Test Preview – International cricket returns on Indian soil
International cricket is set to return to India after almost a 12-month hiatus with the four-match Test series between the hosts and England. It is the much-awaited series as the second finalist of the World Test Championship will also be decided at the end of this contest. The first Test is set to be played in Chennai behind the closed doors.
Team India will be extremely high on confidence after a memorable series win in Australia. Moreover, their skipper Virat Kohli and veteran Ishant Sharma are set to make their comeback which only boosts the team strength. The home team will guard against complacency though as they need to win this series by a significant margin to seal their place in the WTC Final.
The road for England to make it to the WTC Final is tougher but even their spirits will be high after a comfortable 2-0 win in Sri Lanka. Joe Root’s form is on an all-time high it seems and their spinners will be licking their lips after having success in the island nation. All in all, it should be an enthralling series for the fans.
Match Info
Match 1 – India vs England
Venue – MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
Time – 9:30 AM IST
Head to Head
Stat Attack
This will be Joe Root’s 100th Test, he will become 15th England player to play 100 Test matches.
Jasprit Bumrah is yet to play a Test match in India.
The last time England won a Test in Chennai was in 1985.
Team News
India:
Ishant Sharma and Virat Kohli are set to return to the line-up while the likes of Ashwin and Bumrah also seem to be fit after missing the Gabba Test. India might end up picking no bowler from the Gabba heist if they decide to go in with two pacers (Ishant and Bumrah) and three spinners. Given England’s struggles against left-arm spin, Axar could make his Test debut with Ashwin and Kuldeep being the other spinners. Sundar can also play but will India risk playing two off-spinners?
England:
The visitors’ head coach Chris Silverwood has hinted at Test recalls for Rory Burns and Moeen Ali. While the former missed the Sri Lanka tour to attend the birth of his child, Moeen contracted COVID after landing in the island nation but is now fully fit. This means Dom Bess, the other off-spinner, will have to make way for him. Also, with Jonny Bairstow being rested for the first two Tests, Zak Crawley who opened in Sri Lanka is likely to bat at three.
Probable XI:
