Pataudi Trophy 2021: England could field unchanged XI in all Tests as rest-and-rotation policy ends

In what could come as a significant boost for England in the upcoming five-Test series against India for the Pataudi Trophy, starting August 4, it has done away with the rest-and-rotation policy. As a result, the English side could field its best, most potent and unchanged XI throughout the series.

The policy was introduced by the England and Wales Cricket Board a few years back, as it looked to keep its squad fresh and balanced. However, it has backfired to the side at times, disturbing the winning combination.

Meanwhile, the move has been applauded by English skipper Joe Root. Furthermore, with an eye on the Ashes later this year, England would be looking to field its best XI in both the series, as the side eyes a dominant stint in the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 campaign.

“We are coming into a period of time now where rest and rotation is put behind us. Hopefully, if everyone is fit, we are going to have our best team available for what is to follow. That’s really exciting and something I’m very much looking forward to,” he said, reports ESPNCricinfo.

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“We have ten very hard Test matches against two brilliant opposition coming up, but it is a great opportunity for us to play some strong cricket, and if everyone is fit and available, we will have a good team ourselves. I’d like to think that, over the next five Test matches, we’ll be trying to play our strongest side or have our strongest squad available for those games. This is, I suppose, what you do it for: to ready yourself for this lead-in and for in particular that Ashes. To make sure everyone’s peaking for that, and these big games.,” he added.

“Watching the WTC final and not being part of it, it makes you want to be a part of something quite special like that. We have an opportunity now to go a bit further and better than we did the first time out. I’m looking forward to hopefully starting well with a full squad of players to pick from,” he concluded.

India’s Test schedule against England
Aug 4-8: 1st Test vs ENG (Nottingham)
Aug 12-16: 2nd Test vs ENG (Lord’s)
Aug 25-29: 3rd Test vs ENG (Leeds)
Sep 2-6: 4th Test vs ENG (Oval)
Sep 10-14: 5th Test vs ENG (Manchester)

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