The India vs England Test series begins on Thursday, in Hyderabad, and given the current form, history, and the squads, the scale seems to be heavily tilted in the hosts’ favour at the moment. England lacks the experience and quality in the bowling department, while India has a formidable batting line up, that can suck the energy out of the opposition, especially at home.
England has gone with Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, Jack Leach, and left out vastly experienced James Anderson, who has 690 wickets in his kitty. There is Joe Root and Ben Stokes in the ranks as well, but there’s an uncertainly if the latter will bowl at all, given how injury-prone he has become over the last few years.
So if the other five were to share the bowling duties, that might just not be enough, after all. Leg-spinner Rehan has played only one Test in his career, and has seven wickets to his name. This is his debut India tour and not much can be expected from him anyway. Then there is left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, who has never played a Test, and has 40 first-class wickets in 20 matches.
Coming to Mark Wood, he is the only pacer in the team, given Stokes won’t bowl. In 31 Test he has 104 wickets. But the problem again lies in the fact, that he has never played a Test in India, and it’s always tough for pacers in these conditions. Jack Leach, on the other hand, looks like the most solid bowler in England line up for now.
He has 124 wickets in 35 Tests. In the four matches in India, he has picked 18 wickets, at an average of 28, and looks like the only possible threat for now. So to sum it up, England regular bowlers have 18 wickets in all, on Indian soil, which is a big worry. Add Root’s eight wickets here, and the total becomes 26.
Indian Batsmen Could Pile Up Runs
Though the Indian XI is still not clear, just about everyone is capable of scoring big against this English attack. Skipper Rohit Sharma fancies playing against Stokes & co. and has scored 747 runs in nine matches, at an average of almost 50. KL Rahul averages over 38 against England, and had gotten his highest-score of 199 against the same opposition a few years back.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has scored 799 runs against England in 16 Tests, at an average of 32. That includes a ton and five fifties as well. As for R Ashwin, he too boasts of an excellent record against England. He has 970 runs in 19 Tests playing them, including one century, and six fifties, at an average of 37.30.
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