As the dazzling pinks and electric greens of The Hundred advertising is hurriedly removed from Trent Bridge and its surrounds, the world’s second-best Test team is ushered in, almost as an afterthought.
A series of such magnitude as England and India – five Tests between the second and fourth ranked teams in the world, has somehow flown under the radar as the UK has been in the throes of The Hundred. If “every ball matters” in cricket’s latest truncated format, then the microscope will be on every moment in the LV = Insurance Test series, as Joe Root and Virat Kohli look to lead their nations to victory in the first contest of the second World Test Championship.
For India, they have enjoyed an ideal, extended preparation. Having been in the UK for more than two months – staying since the WTC Final – the Indians have had the chance to unwind, before returning to train and for a Tour match in Durham. An unprecedented amount of time to acclimatise to distinctly foreign conditions, Kohli is confident his side is ready to go.
“For us it is all about wanting difficult cricket, wanting tough cricket, and wanting to win in conditions that are not ours,” he said. Believing that his side is every chance in the traditionally swing friendly environment against the Dukes ball, if they “execute the plans in situations that are not easy.”
To do so would be bucking the trend for India. Having won just two matches across their last three tours to England, they will need to demonstrate that they have developed as a side since the 4-1 series loss in 2018. Though the team is better prepared this time around, Kohli was unwilling to indulge just what a series victory in England would mean to his side – and him specifically as captain. “The question of whether a few series matter more than others – I don’t believe in that, because then you are picking and choosing what you want to do,” he said. “We are going to play with the same passion, commitment and belief that we bring to every series.”
Can Virat lead India to victory in England?
A consistent attitude for Kohli, it has become something of a company line for this world-beating Indian team. On the eve of the WTC Final against New-Zealand, he downplayed the significance of the one-off match, suggesting that India’s unflagging quest for excellence extends well beyond any one match or series.
Back on home soil, England will have the unique opportunity to reverse February’s 3-1 series loss in the same calendar year. Ravaged by a rampaging India in hostile conditions, England’s inaugural WTC campaign was thwarted by Axar Patel and R Ashwin. To turn it around, Joe Root’s men will have to do it the hard way, missing Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and pace ace, Jofra Archer. To that end, thanks to the design of the English summer this year, the Test team will come into the series with a dearth of recent first-class cricket. For context, Joe Root, Dan Lawrence and Ollie Pope haven’t faced a red ball since the New-Zealand series, while Jonny Bairstow who is a good chance to play against India, hasn’t done so since March.
Sam Curran could be the star for England yet again
That said, the series gives young all-rounder Sam Curran the chance to increase his bona-fides as a Test cricketer. Set to shoulder the burden of Ben Stokes’ absence (the player on whom the 23-year-old models his own game), the Surrey all-rounder will be keen to replicate his man-of-the-series effort from 2018. “With the Indian side coming over again, naturally I’ll have that in the back of my mind,” he said. “Thinking about how that series went gives me great confidence going into Trent Bridge.”
England can also take heed of the fact that the engine room of India’s batting line-up has struggled of late – particularly away from home. Relying heavily on the trio of Kohli, Pujara and Rahane, the three have each averaged less than 30 in Test cricket since the start of 2020. Pujara in particular has been under pressure; the dour and disciplined number three averaging just 28.03 since his landmark series in Australia in 2018/19. Should England’s experienced and skilful bowling attack break the back of India’s batting line-up, they will go a long way to securing a series victory.
The first Test gets underway from 8pm AEST tonight at Trent Bridge.
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