India are braced for their biggest challenge at home in the last decade as they take on a confident England in a five Test series, starting in Hyderabad, on Thursday, January 25, 2024.
England were the last team to win a Test series in India when they won 2-1 in 2012, but since that shock loss India have gone on an amazing streak of 16 series wins at home.
Even though they have ended up on the losing side on their last two tours, there is no doubt that the Ben Stokes-led England are the best-equipped team to cause another upset in India.
Their unconventional 'Bazball' tactics has not only seen them entertain fans but has been the crucial factor in their unbeaten in Tests in the last two years -- winning four series, while two ended in draws.
Though 'Bazball' has worked so far in conditions favouring seam bowling or on flat pitches in Pakistan, England's all-out attack strategy will face its first biggest test on the turning tracks in India.
How England's batters cope against the India's senior spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja could go a large way in determining the outcome of the series.
And not to forget India can afford to play four high quality spinners in the playing XI if the conditions demand with Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav also in the squad.
England failed miserably in their last two tours of India as they crumbled against spin both times.
In the 2016-2017 series, Ashwin (28) and Jadeja (26) took 54 wickets between them to rout the visitors 4-0 after the first Test had ended in a high-scoring draw.
In 2021, Ashwin (32) and Axar Patel (27) picked up combined 59 wickets as India bounced back after losing the first Test to claim the four match series 3-1.
With Harry Brook pulling out of the Test series, it has left a huge hole in the England batting line-up.
A lot will depend on veteran Joe Root, who has the most experience of Indian conditions and boasts of a very good record against spin with 952 runs in 10 Tests an average of 50.
Root hit a match-winning 218 in the first Test in Chennai in 2021 before India turned around things in the next three games.
Captain Ben Stokes hit a century (128) in his first ever Test innings in India at Rajkot in 2016. He has played nine Tests in the country, scoring 548 runs at an average of 32.
Similarly, Jonny Bairstow, who has been part of three tours to India in the past -- in 2012, 2016 an 2021 -- will have to shoulder responsibility with the bat. He will also be keen to resurrect his Test record in India, having managed 389 runs in eight Tests at an average of 29.
The other batters haven't played much in India: Zak Crawley -- 67 runs in 2 Tests at an average of 16 in 2021; Ben Ducket -- 18 runs in 2 Tests in 2016; Dan Lawrence -- 149 runs in 3 Tests at an average of 24 in 2021; Ollie Pope -- 153 runs in 4 Tests at an average of 19 in 2021; Ben Foakes -- 78 runs in 3 Tests at an average of 15 in 2021.
Similarly, India have also issues in their batting department. Senior batter Virat Kohli's sudden pull out from the first two Tests is a big blow for the hosts. Kohli's withdrawal means Shubman Gill will retain his place at No. 3 despite his struggles in Test cricket in the last 12 months.
Shreyas Iyer could move up a place to No. 4 in place of Kohli followed by K L Rahul, who will play as a specialist batter, with K S Bharat set to don the gloves after his fine century for India 'A' against England Lions in the first unofficial Test.
India are spoilt for choices in the spin department. Ashwin and Jadeja will have a lot of bowling to do during the series but it will be a tough choice to pick the third spinner between Axar and Kuldeep.
While there is no denying that Kuldeep is capable of running through batting line-up on his day, the team management is likely to prefer Axar for his ability to score runs down the order. Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah are set to start as the two frontline pace bowlers.
England have a capable pace attack led by the 41-year-old James Anderson, who is on his sixth tour of India. Overall, he has played 13 Tests in India, taking 34 wickets at an average of 29.
Mark Wood's pace could be a handful on Indian wickets, while Ollie Robinson enjoys a good record in Test cricket but both haven't played a single Test in India.
England's spin attack looks quite thin on paper. The spin attack will led by left-armer Jack Leach, who has played 35 Tests since making his debut in 2018. He enjoyed a good series in 2021, when he made most of the turning wickets to claim 18 wickets.
Young leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed has featured in just one Test, in which he claimed a five wicket haul on debut in Pakistan in December 2022.
The pitch is expected to offer turn right from the start and England won't shy from going in with three spinners. There is no doubt that the outcome of the series could come down to on how the batters from the two teams cope with spin.
Probable India XI: Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, K L Rahul, K S Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
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