IND vs ENG: The rescheduled fifth Test between India and England is set to commence on Friday, July 1, at Edgbaston. India currently lead the series 2-1 after four Tests and they will be looking to win their first Test series on English soil since 2007, when the last time India won in England, incidentally under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid who is now the head coach.
There is plenty of superstar power in the Indian team, despite the absence of KL Rahul, who is ruled out due to a groin injury, and the cloud of Rohit Sharma’s availability after testing covid-19 positive.
Here are 3 players who could play a significant role to help Indian win the fifth IND vs ENG Test:
Jasprit Bumrah
Apart from being India’s spearhead fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah could also be given the captaincy armband in case Sharma fails to recover from covid-19; Bumrah will then be the first fast bowler to lead India since Kapil Dev.
In the four Tests this series last year, Bumrah was India’s leading wicket-taker with 18 wickets at an average of 20 with a five-wicket haul in Nottingham, only behind Ollie Robinson who bagged 21 wickets. After that Bumrah bagged a five-fer each vs South Africa and Sri Lanka and was menacing in the warm-up game too. He will be the key to India’s dominance over the English batters who are reinvigorated with the Baz-Ball mantra.
Virat Kohli
Although he didn’t reach his 71st century, Virat Kohli looked sublime on the tour of South Africa earlier this year when he played a terrific knock of 79 off 201 balls in Cape Town. He will be up against his nemesis James Anderson, who has dismissed the former India captain 10 times in international cricket. This might just pump up Kohli further and embolden him to chase his elusive century, in-process helping India gain an upper hand with the bat.
Kohli averaged 31 in the four Tests this series last year and crossed 50 a couple of times. Kohli’s aggression, even now not being the skipper, will be also needed in the field as India take on an England side that has a more positive approach than they did the last time they came across.
Rishabh Pant
Fire is going to meet fire when the belligerent Rishabh Pant attacks the Baz-Ball heightened English side. Pant made a scintialling century in Cape Town banishing the horrors of the England trip last year when he nicked the ball outside the off-stump often.
England will expectedly have similar plans against Pant again, but this time the left-hander might just wreak havoc and turn the game in India’s favour.
