IND vs ENG: 5 Player Battles To Watch Out For In The Test Series

The India vs England Test series is scheduled for January 2024 and it will be a great battle between the two great Test teams. England will tour India for a five-match Test series and the first Test will be played in Hyderabad commencing on January 25. India has not been defeated at home since 2012 in a Test series. England was the last team to win a Test series against India in India.

The India vs England Tests have always been a spectacle of true cricketing rivalry. The players on both sides are brilliant in their game and will never miss an opportunity to showcase their skills. The bowlers and the batters of both sides will also be fighting their separate battles against different players.  Let’s look at five of the player battles that will catch everyone’s eye during the India vs England Test series.

Here Are Five Player Battles To Watch Out For The Test Series Between India And England

1. Virat Kohli vs James Anderson

Virat Kohli is one of the greatest batters of the modern era and has a terrific record against England. He has amassed 1991 runs against England in red-ball cricket but one of the biggest threats faced by Virat has been England’s veteran pacer, James Anderson. James Anderson has taken Kohli’s wicket seven times in his career the most by any bowler against Virat in Test cricket. It will be interesting to see if Anderson can add to this tally in the upcoming series.

2. Virat Kohli vs Ben Stokes:

Virat Kohli has not only been troubled by James Anderson in England’s lineup but the English skipper Ben Stokes has also had the better of Virat Kohli six times in his red-ball career. Virat Kohli’s weakness has been the ball moving outside, pitching on the fourth and fifth stump line. He has been the prey of these balls a lot of time in his career and James Anderson and Ben Stokes know perfectly how to tackle the threat of Virat Kohli.

3. Joe Root vs Jasprit Bumrah:

Joe Root has a phenomenal record against India in red-ball cricket. He has scored 2526 runs against India in Test cricket which includes 10 fifties and nine hundreds. However, if an Indian bowler has troubled Joe Root then he is Jasprit Bumrah who has got the better of Joe Root six times in his career. Jasprit Bumrah can cause a lot of trouble for the Englishman and Root needs to be prepared for the challenges that Bumrah will possess in the Test series.

4. Ben Stokes vs Ravichandran Ashwin:

England’s red-ball skipper has a terrific record in red-ball cricket and everyone loves to watch him play and demolish the bowlers in his way. He is one of the greatest clutch players of the game. However, one bowler has got the better of him on multiple occasions and he is Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin has got the better of Ben Stokes 11 times in his career which is the most by any bowler against Ben Stokes.

5. Jonny Bairstow vs Mohammed Shami

Jonny Bairstow has scored over a thousand runs against India but one bowler has always troubled the English keeper-batter and he is Mohammed Shami. Bairstow has been dismissed by Mohammed Shami six times in his red-ball career and has always struggled against his seam movement with the red ball.