Navbharat Sports Desk: The five-match Test series between India and England (IND vs ENG Test Series) is going to start from January 25. This match will be played in Hyderabad. Three uncapped players have been included in the England team for this series. Fast bowler Gus Atkinson, spinner Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir have got a place in the England team.
In such a situation, with the presence of four spinners, the spin department of the England team is in a very strong position. Jack Leach’s left-arm orthodox has backup in the form of Hartley, with Rehan Ahmed using wrist spin. Whereas Bashir bowls right-handed offspin.
Hartley has played two ODIs for England, taking 40 first-class wickets in 20 matches for Lancashire. While 20-year-old Bashir has made his first-class debut for Somerset in the 2023 season. He took 10 wickets in six matches. Both Hartley and Bashir were part of the England Lions team.
England has only four fast bowlers in the form of experienced James Anderson, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson and Atkinson. Chris Woakes, who played in the Ashes, has been dropped from the India tour. However, now it will be interesting to see whether Test team captain Ben Stokes bowls against India or will play only as a batsman. Let us tell you that he had undergone surgery on his left knee last month.
Let us tell you that England’s first test against India will start from January 25 in Hyderabad. The second test match will be played in Visakhapatnam from February 2. Whereas the third test will be held in Rajkot from 15th February. The fourth Test will be played in Ranchi from 23 February, apart from this the fifth and final Test match will be played in Dharamshala from 7 March.
For information, let us tell you that the last time India was defeated by the England team was in the year 2012. After that, Team India has been continuously winning on home soil. In 2012, Alastair Cook was captaining the England team. At that time the England team had reached India about two weeks earlier.
England Test Team: Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Jack Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Fox, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.