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Opinion
In December 2012, a 21-year-old from Yorkshire made his Test debut in Nagpur against India. Scoring 73 and 20 not out on debut, Joe Root was part of the last touring side to beat India on their own soil.
Since then, India have played 33 Tests – winning 27, drawing five and losing one.
In England’s last series in India in 2016, they put up scores of 400-plus three times in their first innings, yet drew one and lost two of those Tests by an innings.
The pressure won’t be on the English batsmen when they face India at Chennai for the upcoming first Test, rather their bowlers – only Root averaged less than 30 with the ball for the 2016 series.
This series, England have Somerset spin twins Jack Leach and Dom Bess, with Moeen Ali as the spin-bowling all rounder. But Ali is not good enough to hold up an end or be a wicket taker on flat tracks. England have to be brave and play a third spinner but not Ali.
Moeen Ali of England takes a catch off his bowling to dismiss Australia’s Steve Smith (Photo by Steve Christo – Corbis/Getty Images)
Amar Singh Virdi is touring as a net bowler, yet is a proven spinner at first-class level, having spun Surrey to a county championship in 2018. Virdi is both mature and good enough to play Test cricket.
As for India, they’ll go with what they like to do in their home series – five frontline batsmen, a wicketkeeper and five wicket-taking options.
With Ravindra Jadeja ruled out, Axar Patel can make his debut. Washington Sundar may have had a solid debut, but Patel has played 39 first-class games, including a successful stint with Durham in 2018.
The return of Delhi boys Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma boost the home side to favouritism. Add in Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara’s impeccable home record and Shubman Gill returning to familiar conditions, and England’s bowlers have got their work cut out for them.
This series will also see Rishabh Pant given an extended go behind the stumps to boost his confidence and keeping skills against the spinners. Plus, his constant chirping might put the likes of Root and Ben Stokes off their game.
Jasprit Bumrah is a quality fast bowler but I don’t see any reason he needs to play at Chennai when India will likely play only two quicks. Mohammed Siraj has been outstanding with the SG ball at first-class level and his ability to reverse swing sees him keeping Bumrah out for the first two Tests.
Keeping Bumrah fit for the day-nighter at Ahmedabad should be the priority.
England are at a big disadvantage with the first two Tests being played in Chennai but the past 14 months have taught me to never rule out the unexpected.
Still, the tourists need their spinners to step up or else blink and it’ll be 2-0 before both teams fly off to Ahmedabad.
Predicted India XI
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj
Predicted England XI
Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Zac Crawley, Joe Root (captain), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Dom Bess, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad, Amar Singh Virdi
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