This test series between India Vs England is an expectant cricket fan’s dream concoction. A marquee significant series on the cricket calendar, both teams coming in after rousing away wins, lots of star players returning from injury, international cricket after a year in India and a spot in the World Test Championship finals up for grabs. What more can you ask for?
India must be buoyant after the resurgence and steel of their win over Australia. They must be relieved to get usual suspects back in the team. Virat Kohli returns from his paternity leave with murmurs around whether he should hand over captaincy to Rahane. Make no mistake- this team and the mould and the unit all belongs to King Kohli. Even Rahane would admit that the plan was always for Rahane to step up and lead in Australia and hand back the team intact when Kohli returns. Bumrah and Ashwin are ready to go after a pumped up test series. Ishant is back and should take his place. Siraj/Washington/Thakur/Natarajan whoever gets a chance will be keen to put in another great performance. Pujara must be raring to go as well after the bravado in Australia. And I am personally looking forward to see Gill bat in India.
England are unusually quietly confident. Root will play his 100th test in just 8 years after that great heralding debut in the 2012 India series which England won. He is a giant in English cricket with 8000+ runs and is now waking up to be comfortable with the batting great tag that has always been his to own. He is also coming off – a Lara like- 2 double hundreds in Sri Lanka. England have still got the sagely pair of Anderson and Broad and will want Leach and Bess to make a good impression with spin. Stokes and Archer return and can be short ball enforcers if the pitch goes dry. In Crawley, Lawrence, Burns and Pope- England have got enough youngsters anxious to perform well.
A 2-0 or better result will take India to finals of World Test Championship at Lord’s whereas England a 3-0 or better to even have a chance. This has got to be an incredible series. Even the normally dismissive English Free to Air broadcast media has taken note and after 15 years (since that famous 2005 English win in the Ashes series), they have Test match cricket on Free to Air TV hoping to woo a new niche audience. Well done Channel 4!
Let the games begin!
THE CRICKET ROUND UP 