India Vs England
Golden Memories: When Wadekar's India scripted history in England
It was leg-spinner Bhagwath Chandrasekhar's 6/38 -- along with left-arm spinner Bishan Bedi's 1/1 and S. Venkataraghavan's 2/44 -- that helped India shoot England out for 101 in the second innings of the third and final Test and upturn the disadvantage of a 71-run deficit into a gettable 173-run target for India in the fourth innings. The first two Tests of the three-match series, played in July-August 1971, had been drawn.
Ashwin's omission: Justified or not?
It left English pundits, including former captains like Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain, quite aghast. Indeed, the buzz created by the decision stole the thunder from fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah trapping Rory Burns leg before wicket in the very first over even before the home side had got off the mark. Ashwin was the pick of the spinners in the clash with Australia last winter.
1st Test: England elect to bat, India include Thakur, Rahul
India, who have drafted in KL Rahul as opener, are playing four seamers in Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur. Thakur has been picked to provide all-round option. Ravindra Jadeja is the lone spinner. India: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj.
Rahul, Vihari emerge options to open for India in 1st Test
It will be a tough task to beat England in England considering that India are struggling to find an opener to provide stability and a pace bowling all-rounder who can bring in the balance. One thing going for India is that they have managed to spend some time in England. On all the recent three tours -- 2011, 2014 and 2018 -- acclimatisation to the weather conditions was a worry. No wonder, India lost series on all three occasions.
India in England: Root, Rahane back Stokes's decision to pull out
"Anyone who knows Ben knows that he puts England in front of himself first. He has an opportunity to put himself first, to take time to look after himself so that he is able to play [later]. Hopefully, that will be sooner than later. I think cricket needs to be a secondary thought down the line and he should think of himself first," said England Test captain Root in a virtual media interaction on Monday.
Hat-trick of series losses: India in England over the last decade
The Indian team will look to halt a run of three successive away series defeats against England when they take on the Joe Root-led side in the five-match series that begins on August 4 (Wednesday) at Trent Bridge in Nottingham. Here is a look at India's series losses that began a decade back after the 1-0 series success in 2007.
India in England: Opener Agarwal hit on the head, under medical observation
"All the guys are fit for selection. Only Mayank Agarwal, who got hit on the helmet today [is a concern]. The physios are assessing him. The medical team will issue a statement shortly. Otherwise, everyone is available," said India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane to the media. India are already struggling for opening options as they have lost opener Shubman Gill to injury.
Stokes's exit may hurt but England have multiple all-rounder options
However, the home side still has more options than India in that department. Even as India's pace bowling all-rounder option in Hardik Pandya remains unfit to perform Test duties and has been playing only limited overs cricket, England have Sam Curran, who turned out to be the difference in the last series against India at home.
Test series vs India: Stokes withdraws to attend to mental health
The Test series begins on August 4 in Nottingham. "Stokes has withdrawn from England's Test squad ahead of the Test series against India starting next week to prioritise his mental wellbeing and to rest his left index finger, which has not fully healed since his return to competitive cricket earlier this month," said the ECB statement.
England name Robinson, Hameed in squad for India Tests
Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Sam Curran have also returned to the Test team. While Bairstow, Buttler and Curran were rested from the New Zealand series after taking part in this year's IPL and undergoing a lengthy period of quarantine, Stokes has recovered from a finger injury that saw him withdraw from the Indian Premier League this year.
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