NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – India will hope to have recovered from their dramatic victory in Australia to maintain their formidable home record against England who have boldly placed players’ well-being above team prospects in the four-test series beginning tomorrow.
An injury-ravaged India conjured one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the game in Australia after being humiliated in the Adelaide opener and playing the rest of the series under a stand-in captain.
Their gladiatorial 2-1 triuamph, however, was not without scars and pacers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja continue to nurse injuries which will keep them out of the first half of the England series.
India will welcome back regular skipper Virat Kohli, who missed the last three tests in Australia to attend the birth of his daughter.
“We have done an excellent job in Australia …but we need to forget this and look forward to the England series,” bowling coach Bharat Arun said.
“We’ll have our plans in place.”
Shubman Gill’s assured display on his Australia debut appears to have resolved India’s opening woes as they prepare to stretch their awe-inspiring home record against Joe Root’s men.
India have won a record 12 successive test series at home, losing only one of the last 35 matches they have hosted.
It includes a 4-0 series victory in England’s previous tour in 2016-17.
England are also the last team to have triumphed in India in 2012-13 when Root, who will be playing his 100th test tomorrow in Chennai, made his debut.
BOLD ROTATION POLICY
England blanked Sri Lanka 2-0 last month but their decision to rotate multi-format players undermines their prospects in India.
Under their policy, wicketkeeper Jos Buttler will return home after the opening test, while the trio of Jonathan Bairstow, Sam Curran and Mark Wood will be available only for the last two matches.
England may not necessarily be fielding their strongest playing XI in every match but coach Chris Silverwood stands by the move.
“We’re spending a lot of time locked in hotel rooms inside bio-secure bubbles and it’s not easy,” he said.
“It’s good that we’re being proactive and looking after people. I’m perfectly happy with the system.”
They will be reinforced by the return of speedster Jofra Archer, all-rounder Ben Stokes and opener Rory Burns, who all missed the Sri Lanka series.
Burns is likely to open with Dom Sibley with Zak Crawley expected to drop down to number three.
Spin all-rounder Moeen Ali will fancy his chances on India’s turning tracks, while England will also be tempted to play veteran seamers James Anderson and Stuart Broad together.
India need to win the series by at least a 2-1 margin to reach the final of the inaugural World Test Championship against New Zealand.
England will have to win at least three tests to pip India to the July final, while a stalemate will benefit Australia.