India V England 2021 Tour

The tour starts with the 1st of 4 Test Matches from Friday 5th - 9th in Chennai & finishes with the 3rd ODI, a Day/Night match in Pune on March 28. Sandwiched between these matches are 5 T20's.

England Squad (1st 2 Tests)

Root ©
Archer
Ali
Anderson
Bess
Broad
Burns
Buttler (wk)
Crawley
Foakes
Lawrence
Leach
Sibley
Stokes (vc)
Stone
Woakes

Reserves : Bracey, Crane, Mahmood, Parkinson, Robinson, Virdi

After the rumours regarding resting players, England decided to set out a clear plan as opposed to dealing with the issue match by match. 2 factors come into play with this decision, the first is that 17 Test matches are to be played this year, the most by any team since the 1980's. Add into that a World T20 Cup on the horizon with the white ball focus on that format, but still some 50 overs matches to be played. Already the multi-format players, Stokes & Archer have been rested from the Sri Lanka Tour, & now we see Bairstow, Sam Curran & Wood rested from the 1st 2 India Tests, with Buttler only playing the 1st Test before his rest period. So we start what you could argue the most important away series, excluding the Ashes, without our strongest side taking the field for any of the 4 Tests.

The second factor is the much talked about bubble-life that many of these players have been dealing with since Spring/Summer 2020. Of the 6 rested players 5 featured on the IPL, which some would see as controversial. This is now part of the cricketing calendar & England have to accept that with sort careers they will chase the money, also this year they would welcome their stars competing in the same conditions that they will now face in the re-scheduled T20 World Cup.

We have already seen a number of players involved in the English International Summer who have cancelled lucrative contracts in the Big Bash, the most notable being a young Tom Banton, the stresses of living, training & playing in a Bio-secure environment are real & more so abroad, even harder as many of the England players have young families.

Channel 4 have secured coverage of the entire India v England International matches. the first full FTA series coverage since the 2005 Ashes.
It is hoped that despite the 4am start time, the viewing figures should be increased with the current current lockdown & the 9am start for the Day/Night 3rd Test could well gain substantial audiences.

This series looks to be as tough as they come for England. Serious test of mettle.

Hope I'm wrong but I don't have a good feeling from an England point of view. Jadeja will be a big miss for India, his current Test form is outstanding averaging 50+ with the bat & low 20s with the ball & a class fielder. They don't have a ready made replacement, at least not with his experience. It could upset the balance of the side by weakening either the batting or the bowling.

England have an injury doubt over Zak Crawley, awaiting a scan on a wrist injury. Ollie Pope had already been added to the squad, but would expect to bat at 6. Root may have to move back to 3 if Crawley is ruled out.

India v England 1st Test Chennai Day 1
England won the toss & elected to bat

England
Sibley, Burns, Lawrence, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Pope, Bess, Archer, Leach, Anderson

India
R Sharma, Gill, Pujara, Kohli, Rahane, Pant, Sundar, Ashwin, Nadeem, I Sharma, Bumrah

Joe Root is making his 100th Test match appearance, 9 years after his debut in Nagpur, Jos Buttler will play his 50th. From the side that played Sri Lanka, England make 4 changes. Out goes, Crawley, Bairstow, Curran & Wood, in are Burns, Pope, Stokes & Archer. Burns & Sibley resume their opening partnership after Injury preventing Crawley from slotting back in at his preferred number 3 spot in the absence of Bairstow, w Lawrence moves up from 5 to fill the gap, was the batsmen most likely to miss out, with Pope back from injury in at six. With Stokes at 5 & Buttler 7, they have more depth in batting than the side that played the previous Test. They resist the opportunity off bringing Moeen Ali back, Archer is a straight swap for Wood. The policy of Playing Anderson or Broad in Sub-Continent conditions continues with Jimmy keeping his place.

India had a much easier selection, as Kohli takes charge again after the side that Rahane led to victory against Australia. Bumrah & Ishant Sharma are back from injuries to give their new-ball pairing a much more experienced look to the fast bowling attack that took to the field in Brisbane.
Axar Patel had looked to be the choice to perform the left-arm spin role that would've fallen to Jadeja, before he also picked up an injury. Instead Shahbaz Nadeem plays only his 2nd Test at the age of 31. Ashwin returns & Washington Sundar keeps his place, maybe more for his batting, to strengthen the side in that area with the absence of Jadeja. maybe the leg-spin of Kuldeep would've offered more variety than 2 off-spinners. Hardik Pandya was the option, had India favoured 3 pacemen, but there's a doubt as to whether he is match-fit to bowl enough in a Test.

Great toss to win, the pitch looks flat. Sibley grinding, after gaining confidence from his half century in his last innings. Burns looke d in good order, with no current match-form, & it was a surprise when he gifted a wicket to India. 63-1 is a slow, but solid start. No real need for Burns to try to move things on, England need to play the long-game & bat overs, the pitch should remain good to bat on & India have the ability to bat past England, a score of 400 may not be enough. Burns has opened the game up. Bumrah now strikes, with the wicket of Lawrence. Great captaincy from Virat, in bringing his strike-bowler straight into the attack to the new batsmen. 63-2

Burns has played enough Test Match now & is experienced in First-Class cricket, he has a history of playing silly shots when well set. Early days yet, but if things don't turn around quickly for him, I would say his place is at risk when or if Bairstow returns. not out of the question that bairstow couldn't open in Test cricket.

Lunch 67-2 (27 overs) Sibley 26 no Burns 33