The much-anticipated five-match Test series between India and England is set to begin on Thursday. The first match will take place in Hyderabad, while the following matches will be in Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamsala.
In the ongoing World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle, India are in the second spot with 54.16 percentage points (4 matches – 2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss) while England are in the seventh spot with 15 percentage points (5 matches – 2 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses). So, it is going to be a huge series for both teams, especially for the visitors on turning pitches.
Squad News
India: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rajat Patidar, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan
Virat Kohli has opted out of the first two Tests due to personal reasons. Hence, Rajat Patidar has been added to the squad as his replacement. Coach Rahul Dravid has confirmed that KL Rahul will be considered as a specialist batter. Hence, it will be interesting to see whether KS Bharat or Dhruv Jurel gets the nod in the playing XI as wicketkeeper.
England: Joe Root, Zak Crawley, Ben Stokes (C), Shoaib Bashir, Tom Hartley, Ollie Robinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jonny Bairstow (WK), Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes (WK), Ollie Pope, Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, James Anderson, and Jack Leach.
Ben Stokes has confirmed that Ben Foakes will play as the wicketkeeper in the first game. Hence, Jonny Bairstow has managed a place as a specialist batter. However, young spinner, Shoaib Bashir is set to miss the first game due to visa issues and that has left the England skipper frustrated.
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England’s playing XI for first Test against India: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, Jack Leach. #INDvENG
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) January 24, 2024
Recent Form in the longest format
India
The Men in Blue last played a two-match Test series in South Africa. After losing the series opener, Rohit Sharma led his team to victory in the next game as the series ended 1-1.
England
Ben Stokes and his men were in action in the red-ball format in the Ashes in England last year. They came back from 2-0 down to draw the series 2-2.
Impact of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes
After Joe Root’s resignation as captain, Ben Stokes was named England’s Test skipper on April 28, 2022. Former New Zealand star batter, Brendon McCullum also got appointed as the head coach. Since the duo took charge, England managed to come up with an attacking approach, Bazball, in the longest format of the game, which has produced excellent results so far.
A total of 18 Tests have been played and 13 matches were won. Only one match has ended in a draw, while England lost four games. They clean-swept the Kiwis at home and Pakistan in their lair. However, this is their biggest test yet, against India on turners.
Rohit Sharma’s Test captaincy
After becoming the full-time Test captain, Rohit Sharma has led the team on 11 occasions so far. India have won six under him, lost three and drew two matches. He lost the WTC final last year against Australia and recently, lost the series opener in South Africa. But, in the second game, he showed proactive captaincy, as his team bounced back.
At home, he has led in two series consisting of six matches. One was a 2-0 clean-sweep against Sri Lanka and another was a 2-1 victory over Australia in the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, India have not lost any bilateral Test series since their defeat against the Proteas in South Africa back in 2021-22 (2-1 in that three-match series)
Head-to-Head
Overall
As of now, 131 Tests have been played between England and India. India have won on 31 occasions, while drawing 50 games and losing 50 matches.
In India
Since 1933, 64 Tests have been played in India between the two sides. The home team have emerged victorious on 22 occasions, while the visitors have won 14 games and 28 games finished as draws. In the last series in 2020-21, England won only one match but they registered a series victory back in 2012-13.
They won the four-match series 2-1. Interestingly, that was the last time India lost a home Test series. Since then, India have won all 16 series and hence, it will be an uphill task for the Ben Stokes’s side.
Test Record in Hyderabad
India have played 5 Tests so far in this stadium and they have not lost any of thos matches. They have won four games along with a draw. Interestingly, that draw came against New Zealand in 2010 and Brendan McCullum was the Player of the Match for scoring 225 off 308 balls. However, England have never played a Test in this stadium.
Also Read: IND vs ENG: Recipe for Test success in India, an analysis