England vs India 2021: Predicted Best Combined XI

The countdown for England vs India 2021 Test series has begun as the tournament is set to witness the 1st clash between both teams on August 4, 2021. The England vs India 1st Test will be played in Trent Bridge, Nottingham.

India’s tour of England consists of 5 Test matches, of which the final encounter will begin on September 10. Virat Kohli is the captain of the Indian team while England will be led by Joe Root.

India has named a 20-member squad for the Test series against England. On the other hand, England cricket has selected a 17-man squad. England faced a 3-1 defeat against India during their Test tour in February-March this year. The home team will be all set to avenge their previous defeat this time.

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The England and India squads consist of several spectacular players, who are among the top performers in international cricket currently. In this article, we talk about the predicted best-combined XI of the England vs India 2021 Test series.

England vs India 2021: Predicted Best Combined XI

Rohit Sharma

For England vs India 2021 best-combined XI, Rohit Sharma should be selected as an opener. After being promoted as an opener in 2019, Sharma has proved himself to be a dominant batsman at this position.

Against England, Rohit Sharma has played 5 Test matches, scoring 379 runs in 9 innings at an average of 47.37, along with a century and half-century. On English soil, the right-handed batsman has only played 2 Tests accounting for 98 runs in 4 innings.

Rory Burns

England’s Rory Burns should be the other opener in the combined XI of the England vs India 2021 Test series. The left-handed batsman made his Test debut in 2018 and has played 25 Test matches for England so far. In 46 innings, he has scored 1529 runs at an average of 33.23, smacking 3 centuries and 9 fifties.

Joe Root

Joe Root should be the no.3 batsman in this team. The England skipper is one of the best Test specialists in international cricket. Against India, he has an impressive record of smashing 1789 runs in 36 Test innings at an average of 54.21.

He has also smacked 5 centuries and 9 half-centuries against India. Overall, the right-handed batsman has mustered 8714 runs in 193 innings at an average of 48.68, hitting 20 hundreds and 49 fifties.

Virat Kohli (Captain)

Virat Kohli should be the captain of the combined XI of the England vs India 2021 series. During India’s previous Test tour to England in 2018, the Indian skipper bagged the player of the series award with his spectacular batting show. He scored 593 runs in 10 innings at an average of 59.30, emerging as the highest run-scorer of the tournament.

He also smacked 2 centuries and 3 half-centuries. In 155 Test innings in his career so far, the right-handed batsman has mustered 7547 runs with 27 centuries and 25 half-centuries.

Ajinkya Rahane

In the best-combined XI of England vs India 2021 Test series, Ajinkya Rahane will be a good option at the middle-order. While playing in England, the Indian Test vice-captain has an impressive record of 620 runs in 22 innings at an average of 44.73, with a century and 4 half-centuries.

He is a reliable middle-order batsman, with the ability to build partnerships at this position. In 125 innings in his career so far, the 33-year-old has scored 4647 runs in 125 innings at an average of 41.12. He also has 12 centuries and 23 half-centuries to his name.

Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper)

Rishabh Pant should be the wicketkeeper of this team. The Indian wicketkeeper has impressed with his fearless batting style in Tests since the start of this year. Pant’s unbeaten 89-run knock against Australia in January this year helped India to win the 4^th Test, thereby beating Australia in the series 2-1.

Post that, the left-handed batsman also smashed a century against England in a home series. In 35 Test innings so far, the 23-year-old has scored 1403 runs at an average of 43.84, smacking 3 centuries and 6 half-centuries in the process.

Ravindra Jadeja

For the all-rounder in the best-combined XI of England vs India 2021 Test series, Ravindra Jadeja will be a superb choice. The left-handed batsman is one of the reliable finishers for India in all three formats. With his left-arm spin bowling, Jadeja is also an effective occasional spin bowler.

In 52 Test matches, the left-handed batsman has scored 1985 runs in 75 innings at an average of 35.44 with 1 century and 15 fifties. While bowling in 99 innings, he has picked 221 wickets at an average of 24.41.

Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin should be the primary spinner for England vs India 2021 best-combined XI. Ashwin showed the magic of his spin attack in ICC World Test Championship 2019-21 tournament, emerging as the highest wicket-taker with 70 wickets.

In 148 Test innings so far, the right-arm spinner has picked 413 wickets at an average of 24.56. Against England, the off-spinner accounts for 88 wickets in 35 innings, which is an impressive record to look upon.

Stuart Broad

For one of the pacers in this team, Stuart Broad should be selected. The right-arm pacer has retired from limited-overs cricket but is a regular member of England’s Test team.

He has picked 523 wickets in 272 innings in his career, at an average of 27.72. Against India, Broad has picked 70 wickets in 39 innings. Broad also accounts for 18 five-wicket hauls and 3 ten-wicket hauls in his career.

James Anderson

In England vs India best-combined XI, James Anderson should be the other pacer. The English cricketer is the most successful pacer in Test cricket, being the highest wicket-taking pacer with 617 wickets in 301 innings.

The 38-year-old has an amazing average of 26.67 and accounts for 30 five-wicket hauls and 3 ten-wicket hauls in his Test career. Against India, Anderson has scalped 118 wickets in just 56 Test innings at an average of 25.29.

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah should be picked as the third pacer in the combined XI of the England vs India 2021 Test series. So far in 39 Test innings, the right-arm pacer has picked 83 wickets at an average of 23.21 along with 5 five-wicket hauls.

Against England, Bumrah has picked 18 wickets in 9 innings, out of which 14 arrived in 8 innings on England soil. 6/27 is his best bowling figure in an innings while 9/86 is his best bowling figure in a match.