India and England will kick off the second cycle of the World Test Championship with an opening Test in Trent Bridge. Both sides met each other in January-February this year and India won the series 3-1.
Match Timings: Aug 04, 3:30 PM IST
Match Preview
India and England will meet in the most prestigious Test series of this year and it will also kick off the WTC 2021-23. India finished as runner-ups in the first cycle and England missed out the final from few points. This time, the English side will also look to play the WTC final. It will also start England’s preparation for the Ashes series. Both teams will also miss out few players due to injury.
India is in the UK since June and they are practicing hard for this Test assignment. They lost the WTC final against New Zealand and now, few players will be on the radar this time. They have to prove their worth. Mayank Agarwal was ruled out of the first Test due to injury and India can pick KL Rahul as an opener with Rohit. They can even send Pujara at the top and try Rahul in middle-order. Hanuma Vihari is also an option to try in the top-order.
India may include Siraj this time and it would be a tough call to drop Ishant. India’s previous record in England isn’t convincing as they lost the last series 4-1 in 2018, followed by back-to-back series losses in 2011 and 2014. India won only two Tests during this period. India would look to end the series win drought in England this time. India might go ahead with two spinners Ashwin and Jadeja but they can rest one player to include one extra pacer. Shardul will get the nod due to his batting ability.
Meanwhile, England will be favourties in their own home ground but they will miss their two big players Archer, Chris Woakes, and Stokes. England recently lost to New Zealand in two-match Test series. It will be their first WTC assignment in the second cycle and they will also look to build a team for Ashes. Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, and Jonny Bairstow are the players who will be back in action. England have also shown faith in Haseeb Hameed who scored a hundred against India in a warm-up game. England can include him at the top. Rory Burns was in prime form against New Zealand. Sibley and Crawley had a decent phase in past one year. Broad and Anderson will have a big responsibility. Green grass will be used on the pitch and England would make a good bouncy track to taste Indian batsmen. It should be a cracking game of Test.
Pitch Report
Nottingham’s track is a decent Test surface and it allows god balance between bat and ball. The track allows extra help to pacers and batting on the final two days will be crucial.
Possible XI
England
Joe Root (C), Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Zak Crawley, Dom Sibley, Johnny Bairstow, Mark Wood, Dom Bess, Ollie Pope
India
Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, C Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), R Jadeja, R Ashwin/Shradul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, M Siraj/Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah
Key Players
England
Joe Root
The leading run-getter in Tests in 2021, his form would be important
Stuart Broad
Impactful pacer and he might be a threat for the Indian batting lineup
India
Virat Kohli
Leading run-scorer in previous Test series in England
Mohammed Shami
Would be crucial with the new ball
