India vs England, 1st Test: Team India brace for spin battle against England in Hyderabad
Team India is gearing up for a fierce spin battle as they face the confidant English side in Hyderabad.
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FollowIndia's unwavering home dominance, spanning an impressive 12-year period, faces an intriguing test as Rohit Sharma's team takes on a resilient England in the first match of a highly anticipated five-Test series starting Thursday. Since their 1-2 loss to Alastair Cook's England in 2012, India has been virtually invincible at home, securing an extraordinary 16 consecutive series wins, including seven clean sweeps. With just three losses in 44 Tests on home soil during this period, India's dominance surpasses even the formidable West Indies of the '80s and Australia at the turn of the century.
Key to India's success has been the duo of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who have consistently outperformed, amassing a combined total of 500 wickets at an average of 21. As the series kicks off at the RGI Stadium in Hyderabad, the spotlight is on these spin maestros, ready to exploit the expected turning track.
England, having experienced the prowess of Ashwin and Jadeja in past visits, particularly fears the former, who, at 37, continues to exhibit the hunger for improvement. Ashwin has claimed 283 wickets from 46 Tests since 2012, averaging just over 19.
Jadeja, often seen as a supporting act, has proven to be a potent threat in his own right, securing 191 wickets from 39 Tests during the same period. Together, they pose a formidable challenge for any batting lineup.
India may introduce a third spinner, with Axar Patel or Kuldeep Yadav in contention, further intensifying England's worries. Despite the absence of Virat Kohli for personal reasons, India's middle order, led by Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, remains formidable.
England, with captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum at the helm, has shown the ability to produce fascinating cricket. However, facing a set of proven match-winners and the added distraction of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir's delayed visa processing, the visitors are in for a challenging battle.
As the cricketing world eagerly awaits the series opener in Hyderabad, the question lingers: Will India's spin dominance prevail, or will England's 'Bazball' style add an unpredictable twist to the tale? The stage is set for an enthralling battle, and cricket enthusiasts await the unfolding drama.
Squads:Â
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan.
England: Ben Stokes (Captain), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Dan Lawrence, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.
The match is scheduled to start at 9:30 AM.
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