Joe Root urges understrength England to take inspiration from India ahead of Test series

NICK HOWSON: Despite being without Zak Crawley, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran and Mark Wood in Chennai, the tourists need only look at the performance of their hosts for inspiration

Zak Crawley ruled out of first two India Tests

Where can I watch India v England on TV? Test series streaming details

England captain Joe Root wants his depleted side to take inspiration from hosts India head of the four-Test series starting in Chennai on Friday (February 5).

Zak Crawley's wrist injury sees the absentee list for the start of the series swell to four, with Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran and Mark Wood having returned home.

By the time the Kent batsman is due to return, perhaps in time for the third and fourth Tests in Ahmadabad, Jos Buttler - who is only available for the first match - will have left the tour.

But if Root's side needs inspiration ahead of facing an India side who have not lost a home Test series for nine years, it comes in the form of the home side's success in Australia.

India lost a host of players including Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja but emerged with a remarkable 2-1 success after victory in the concluding Test in Brisbane.

"I think a lot of sides around the world will look at that series that has just happened in Australia and take a huge amount of confidence from it," explained Root.

^{Zak Crawley has joined Jonny Bairstow on the sidelines}

"Huge credit to India to going out there and winning. It is a hugely difficult place to go and win, we all know that. Teams will see that and know it is possible to go and win away from home. 

"There is a lot of pressure on the home sides. It will be the same when we're back in England and we host some brilliant sides coming over.

"There is a bit of pressure around that. We should embrace that, it should excite us. 

"There are so many great opportunities that come with that and as a side and individual players when you're given that opportunity to play you've got to maximise that opportunity, make that count. 

"The thing that we have had in the recent past is that competition for places, a bit more depth within our squad and not being heaviily reliant on certain individuals which might have been the case a few years ago. 

"It is really exciting time for the team and the guys have got to grasp those opportunities if they get them."

^{India survived the loss of several big names to overcome Australia}

He added: "For us to win this series it is going to take the whole squad at a different point and producing something special over some long, hard periods of play and managing pressure over long periods of time. 

"Can we collectively pull together and win out here?"

It is likely that either Root or the returning Ben Stokes will move up to No.3 in the batting line-up, with the fit-again Ollie Pope, Dan Lawrence or a third spin option in Moeen Ali expected to come in. Buttler is confirmed to take the gloves.

Spin pair Dom Bess and Jack Leach are expected to be given the nod while one of James Anderson and Stuart Broad is due to accompany Jofra Archer in the seam attack.

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