India v England, Test series: All you need to know

Ahead of England's four-Test series in India, The Cricketer runs through all the information you need to know

What is it?

The four-Test series between India and England.

When is it?

The first Test begins on February 5. The full schedule is below.

First Test: February 5 (9.30am local time, 4am GMT)

Second Test: February 13 (9.30am local time, 4am GMT)

Third Test: February 24 (2.30pm local time, 9am GMT)

Fourth Test: March 4 (9.30am local time, 4am GMT)

Where is it?

The first two Tests will be staged at the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. When England last faced India at the venue, Karun Nair made an unbeaten triple century.

The third and fourth games will be held at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel Stadium. As of the completion of its reconstruction last year, it is the world’s largest cricket ground, with a seating capacity of 110,000.

Who’s involved?

Both countries have named their squads for the first two Tests, with some notable omissions.

For the hosts, influential left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja misses out after fracturing his thumb during India’s fine series win over Australia.

Hanuma Vihari, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami are also missing, having been among the several India players to sustain injuries during the Australia series.

However, those absences are offset by the returns of captain Virat Kohli from paternity leave and seamer Ishant Sharma after injury. Hardik Pandya has also been recalled as a specialist batsman, having not played Test cricket since 2018. Back surgery in 2019 has limited his bowling since then. Crucially, however, Jasprit Bumrah is included; the fast bowler missed the final Test win over Australia at The Gabba.

There is also a call-up for left-arm spinner Axar Patel, selected as a like-for-like replacement for Jadeja. He provides a fourth spin option for Ravi Shastri’s squad, which also includes Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar.

^{Virat Kohli returns to lead India after paternity leave}

For England, their rotation policy has been widely discussed. It means that Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer both return to the fold after being rested during Joe Root’s side’s 2-0 win in Sri Lanka, while opening batsman Rory Burns is also back after missing the last tour to attend the birth of his first child.

However, Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood and Sam Curran will all miss the first two matches; they are among England’s multiformat players who have been guaranteed a block rest period to ease the burden of bio-secure bubbles and the complexities around touring during the pandemic.

After the first Test, Jos Buttler will join them back in England; he will only return for the white-ball leg of the India tour that follows. Bairstow, Wood and Curran will fly back to India for the final two Tests.

Moeen Ali, who missed the Sri Lanka Tests after testing positive for Covid-19 upon landing, is included and is available for selection. The only other member of England’s group in Sri Lanka not to be present in India is Craig Overton, who was a reserve.

Zak Crawley will miss the first two Tests after slipping and spraining his right wrist in Chennai. Ollie Pope has been added to the tourists' squad.

India squad for first two Tests: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Wriddhiman Saha, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel

England squad for first two Tests: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (flying home after first Test), Zak Crawley (out of first two Tests through injury), Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes

England reserves: James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi

What are the odds?

Dafabet make England heavy outsiders at 4/1 to win the first Test.

India are the favourites, with odds of 4/9, while the draw is priced at 9/2.

When it comes to top runscorers, Kohli is available at 23/10 to top the charts for India despite having missed the last three matches on paternity leave.

If you're after a novelty bet, both teams scoring the same number of first-innings runs is on offer at 100/1 from Dafabet.

What does it mean for the World Test Championship?

A comprehensive series victory for India would guarantee their place in the World Test Championship final. Should they claim the series by any other scoreline than 1-0 they will join New Zealand in the June final.

For England, the task is equally straightforward but slightly more improbable. They need to win a minimum of three Tests to stand any chance of progressing. Any other outcome, even if it results in a series win, would not be enough.

Australia, whose Tests in South Africa have been pulled, will face the Kiwis if neither India nor England win by a wide enough margin, or the series is drawn.

^{Joe Root is due to play his 100th Test}

Will fans be permitted?

Crowds will not be permitted for the first Test of the series in Chennai, but 50 per cent capacity is planned for the second. No decision has been made for the latter half of the series, though it is hoped that spectators could be permitted in Ahmedabad.

Where can I follow it?

Channel 4 will broadcast the series in the United Kingdom, with the content available online via its steaming platform All 4. Radio coverage of the series will be broadcast on TalkSPORT2.

In India, the series will be broadcast on Star Sports.

SuperSport are showing the matches in South Africa.

This preview is brought to you in association with Dafabet India. For more on Dafabet and to place a bet, click here.

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