Match Details:
The first Test of the four-match Test series between India and England will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, on 5th February, Friday.
This match will start at 9:30 AM IST and local time. It will be live on Star Sports Network and can be streamed on Disney+Hotstar in multiple languages.
Preview:
The triumph over Australia is now all but a part of history, as the focus has shifted to the upcoming series against England. India will face off against Joe Root’s men in four Tests. The importance of this series is huge, as the final of ICC World Test Championship is at stake.
New Zealand have already booked their tickets for the final, with India and England being their two probable opposition. With Virat Kohli back in the fray, and so is Ishant Sharma, India are certainly holding the upper-hand. England, however, know very well how to tackle subcontinent conditions, as they are fresh off a series triumph against Sri Lanka. Hence, this will be an exciting series.
IND vs ENG Weather Report for 1st Test:
Rain is not expected on any day, as the sun will be out in all five days. The temperature will be between 23-29 °C.
Pitch Report:
If we look at the recent results on this pitch, it is very clear that the batsmen are likely to enjoy batting on this track. From the bowlers, spinners are likely to be the most successful.
Average first innings score:
376 (Last 5 Test Matches on this venue)
Injury & Availability News:
For England: Opening batsman Zak Crawley suffered a freak wrist injury by slipping in the dressing room. He is ruled out for this match.
For India: In his press conference, Ajinkya Rahane has mentioned that Hardik Pandya is working very hard, but India won’t reveal the plans regarding him before the game.
IND vs AUS Today’s Probable Playing XIs:
India:
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli (C), Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel/Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma/Shardul Thakur/Mohammad Siraj.
Bench:
Wriddhiman Saha, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Mohammad Siraj/Shardul Thakur/Ishant Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav/Axar Patel.
England:
Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Daniel Lawrence, Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Dom Bess, Jack Leach, Jofra Archer, James Anderson/Stuart Broad.
Bench:
Ben Foakes, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, James Anderson/Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Ollie Stone.
IND vs ENG Top picks for Today’s 11Wickets Match:
Virat Kohli scored 78 runs in the first Test of the Australian series. Now that he is back in the team he is an automatic choice for captaincy.
Ravichandran Ashwin did a great job with the ball and a satisfactory job with the bat against Australia. He picked up 12 wickets and scored 78 runs.
Joe Root’s form will certainly give headaches to the Indian camp, as he scored 426 runs against Sri Lanka. He struck two centuries in that tour.
Ben Stokes is another key player for England. The all-rounder has scored over 4400 runs in Tests, and also has 158 Test wickets to his credit.
Shubman Gill can be a good shout at a cut-throat price, having scored 259 runs against Australia at an average of over 50.
Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:
Captain Options: Virat Kohli, Joe Root
Vice-Captain Options: Ravichandran Ashwin, Ben Stokes
Suggested Playing XI No. 1 for IND vs ENG 11Wickets Fantasy Cricket:
Keeper – Rishabh Pant, Jos Buttler
Batsmen – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (C), Joe Root, Shubman Gill
All-Rounders – Ravichandran Ashwin, Ben Stokes (VC)
Bowlers – Dom Bess, Jofra Archer, Jasprit Bumrah
12th Man – James Anderson
Suggested Playing XI No. 2 for IND vs ENG 11Wickets Fantasy Cricket:
Keeper – Rishabh Pant
Batsmen – Virat Kohli, Joe Root (C), Dom Sibley, Ajinkya Rahane
All-Rounders – Ravichandran Ashwin (VC), Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali
Bowlers – James Anderson, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah
12th Man – Jos Buttler
Expert Advice:
With the pitch expected to help the batsmen, it wouldn’t be a bad option to go with 4 batting picks in both of your 11Wickets Fantasy teams.
IND vs ENG Probable Winners:
India are expected to win this match.
