India's Predicted XI for first Test vs England

Deeptesh Sen - Featured Cricket Writer 13:44 08/11/2016

England kick off their tour to India with the first Test at Rajkot on November 9. The Indians will be on a high after their superlative performances in Test cricket under the captaincy of Virat Kohli. But they will be aware of the threat posed by the visitors.

Here is the predicted Indian XI for the first Test.

MURALI VIJAY

The ‘Monk’, as he is known in Indian cricketing circles, has evolved into one of the best Test openers in the world. A picture of calm and solidity at the top of the order to get India off to good starts is what the team would be hoping from him.

Vijay has been going through a slump of sorts and has not been able to convert his starts into big scores. He will try to set that right against England and once again start scoring those big centuries.

GAUTAM GAMBHIR

Who would have thought that Gautam Gambhir would make it back into the Indian team after a long hiatus? Gambhir’s good domestic form made him difficult to ignore and he made a strong case for himself by scoring that half-century in the second innings against New Zealand at Indore.

He might have got a lucky break as Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul are out injured, but he will be hoping to make full use of it as this could very well be Gambhir’s last comeback.

CHETESHWAR PUJARA

After being dropped for a Test during the West Indies tour, during which it looked possible that he might lose his place permanently from the side, Cheteshwar Pujara was back in the reckoning for the series against New Zealand because of his tremendous run of form in domestic cricket.

Pujara did vindicate the faith that the selectors put in him by having a good series with the bat. Pujara, having gone through a tough phase, now looks like the most reliable option at number three for India once again.

VIRAT KOHLI (C)

The Indian Test skipper is in red-hot form going into the series and might well be the difference between the two teams. Known for his penchant for scoring big hundreds, Kohli will be the cog that is expected to hold the Indian batting unit together.

The Delhi batsman has had an unreal couple of years in international cricket, scoring runs for fun across all three formats of the game. He is expected to be a thorn in England’s side in what promises to be a well-fought series.

AJINKYA RAHANE

Although his quiet and unassuming nature belies his monstrous talent, Ajinkya Rahane is finally getting the respect that he truly deserves among the Indian cricketing fraternity. He has come through a tough phase to turn himself into India’s most reliable Test batsman at present.

Batting at number five in the Test team, Rahane did have big shoes to fill but he has done his job very well until now. It is his partnerships with captain Virat Kohli that will be crucial towards determining the outcome of the series.

RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN

After a well deserved rest during the ODI series against the Kiwis, Ravichandran Ashwin will be raring to go in the Test series against England. Ashwin has been the talk of the town for his incredible form, with many tipping him to reach 300 Test wickets by the end of this season.

Ashwin once again holds the key as he has been on a roll, demolishing oppositions at will in sub-continental conditions. His good run of form with the bat has proved to be invaluable as India might well have found a reliable all-rounder at number six.

WRIDDHIMAN SAHA

To step into the shoes of MS Dhoni must not have been easy, but Wriddhiman Saha has taken the opportunity with both hands and done a splendid job for the Indian team so far. There have never been a question of his keeping abilities as he does a tremendous job even on the most trying and uneven pitches.

But it is Saha’s batting that has really come of age in the recent past as his gutsy performances have been digging the team out of trouble on quite a few occasions – most notably in the second Test against New Zealand, in which he was named the Man of the Match for two unbeaten half-centuries.

RAVINDRA JADEJA

Fresh from a break during the ODI series, India will expect a lot from Ravindra Jadeja in the series. Although he has been in and out of the ODI team off late, Jadeja has been an integral member of the Indian Test team, especially in domestic conditions.

It is Jadeja’s ability to bowl well in tandem with Ashwin that makes the Indian spinning duo such a lethal threat for any visiting team.

AMIT MISHRA

Amit Mishra would have been bitterly disappointed to miss out on the Test series between India and New Zealand as he was asked to sit out to accommodate an extra batsman.

After his Man of the Series performance in the ODIs against New Zealand, though, it will be very hard for Virat Kohli to ignore the Haryana spinner. India are likely to go in with three spinners to add an extra threat to England’s batting.

MOHAMMED SHAMI

Mohammed Shami is getting better by the day, having now made himself into the leading pace spearhead of the Indian team. Shami’s ability to bowl with pace and swing has troubled batsmen, with the Bengal pacer seeming to be in great form at the moment.

India will take heart from the fact that Ishant Sharma and Shami are fit together as the Indian fast bowling department attempts to turn over a new leaf.

ISHANT SHARMA

Having missed out in the series against New Zealand due to a prolonged period of illness, Ishant Sharma is likely to make a comeback to the team for the first Test against England. Sharma is now the most experienced bowler in the squad and the Indian team will be hoping that he can keep his discipline in the series.

Sharma has been a rejuvenated figure of sorts under the captaincy of Kohli, having bowled with a lot of heart and taken wickets at crucial junctures. He will hope to continue doing the good work in this series.

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