The England cricket team is underway the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium. While they registered a clinical victory in the first Test, clinching a 7-wicket win, with skipper Joe Root smashing a double ton and grabbing the ‘Player of the Match’ award, a major test amidst the subcontinent conditions lies for them in the upcoming tour of India.
Starting January 7, England’s tour of India would comprise a 4-match Test series, followed by 5 T20 Internationals and 3 One-Day Internationals.
Ahead of what promises to be a nail-biting series for the fans of both the nations, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced a 16-man squad including 6 reserves for the initial two Test matches set to take place at the newly reconstructed Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Post the successful conclusion of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 down under, the Indian cricket team announced an 18-man squad for the initial two Tests against England that witnessed skipper Virat Kohli coming back into the unit along with all-rounder Hardik Pandya and a fully recovered Ishant Sharma.
There were some noteworthy additions namely Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar, courtesy of their scintillating exhibitions in the longest format against Australia.
Also Read: India announce an 18-man squad for the first two Tests against England
Also, Axar Patel has received a maiden Test call, and considering all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja being ruled out of the entire four-match Test series owing to a thumb injury sustained during the third Test against Australia in Sydney, it seems that the Gujarat cricketer might get the green signal at Motera.
Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer join the squad
Among the English cricketers to make a return to the side include all-rounders Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, and top-order batsman Rory Burns. Both Stokes and Archer were rested for the ongoing series against Sri Lanka, whereas, Burns had opted out of the tour as he was expecting his first child.
Some of the notable omissions from their main Test squad include Sam Curran, Mark Wood and Jonny Bairstow. Bairstow missing out on the initial Tests is a surprise, as he looked comfortable with his willow on his previous tour of India in 2016-17, recording 3 fifty-plus totals and amassing 352 runs in 9 innings at an average of 44.00.
England’s 16-man squad for the first two Tests against India:
Joe Root (captain), Chris Woakes, Olly Stone, Ben Stokes, Dom Sibley, Jack Leach, Dan Lawrence, Ben Foakes, Zak Crawley, Jos Buttler, Rory Burns, Stuart Broad, Dom Bess, James Anderson, Moeen Ali, and Jofra Archer.
Reserves:
Amar Virdi (Surrey), Mason Crane (Hampshire), Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire), James Bracey (Gloucestershire), Ollie Robison (Sussex), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)
England’s last tour of India didn’t tour out to be fruitful for the visitors, as they lost the 5-match Test series by 4-0, with a draw in the opening Test in Rajkot.
Also Read: 4 Legendary Test batsmen who failed to deliver their potential in India
Skipper Joe Root was the highest run-getter for the tourists, scoring 491 runs in 10 innings at an average of 49.10, including a hundred and 4 fifties. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid topped the bowling charts for England, scalping 23 wickets in five matches at an average of 37.43, and 4/82 as the best figure in an innings in the second Test at Visakhapatnam.
