3 tough selection decisions India need to make ahead of the First Test 

Battle lines are drawn as India take on the mighty England in Tests at their home turf. Indian team has been in good form in Test matches off-late. Even though they lost the series against South Africa 2-1, India gave the Proteas a run for their money. They played some good competitive cricket against a strong South African outfit.

Then the Indian team cleaned up Afghanistan in their debut match in two days. However, the challenge is much stiffer in England. India will have to play it's best cricket to beat England. And for that to happen, the Indian team will need to figure out their best combination.

There are a lot of options available for the Indian team and the team management has their work cut out. It will be extremely crucial to select a team on recent form and the conditions in which the match is played. There are some tough decisions that need to make going into the first Test at Birmingham. Here are the 3 questions which Team India will have to take a call on.

#3 2 spinners or 1 spinner? Should Kuldeep be included?

India will have to decide whether they are going to play with 2 spinners or one spinner. The English conditions have always suited pace bowling more and India does possess a strong pace attack.

On the other hand, spinners are more effective than seamers against the English batsmen, as seen in the ODI series. Kuldeep Yadav was in top form in the limited-overs leg of the tour. However, the English batsmen seemed to figured him out at the end of the ODI series. So it will be interesting to see whether Kuldeep will be in the playing XI. India also have experienced spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Should India include young Kuldeep at the expense of the senior spinners?

India might go with the experience of Ashwin

Writer's take

At the end of the ODI series, English batsmen showed that they aren't mugs against spinners after all. So in probability India will go with 3 front-line seamers and a single spinner. Jadeja has looked flat in overseas conditions and might miss out. While Kuldeep might be included in the side in the latter stages of the series, India is likely to start with Ravichandran Ashwin as the sole spinner.

#2 Who are going to be our best 3 seamers? And do we need a fourth seamer in Hardik Pandya?

India have a lot of options when it comes to the pace department. Even though Bhuvneshwar Kumar is out of the first three Tests, India still have the ammunition to destroy the English batting line-up. However, they need to decide on the best 3 pacers in the squad. Will they include Jasprit Bumrah straight away, keeping in mind that he might not have recovered from his injury yet?

If not then who are going to be our 3 pacers in the playing XI? Also, India might have to take a call on Hardik Pandya. If the team management decides to play with 3 seamers, Hardik Pandya might make way for Jadeja or Kuldeep who can play a bigger role with the ball.

Can both, Umesh and Shami, get into the Playing

XI ?

Writer's take

In all likeliness, India will play with 3 seamers plus Hardik Pandya. Pandya can score crucial runs for the side lower down the order. Also, India won't take a chance with Bumrah and might go with Mohd Shami, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma as the three pacers in the side.

#1 Shikhar Dhawan or KL Rahul

One of the toughest call that the Indian team management will have to take will be to decide between KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan. While Murali Vijay is all set to open at Birmingham, his opening partner is yet to be decided. Dhawan is coming off a brilliant hundred in his last Test against Afghanistan, and his attacking game might unsettle the English bowler, while Rahul has been in good form in the tour and looks to be in an excellent frame of mind. So who will it be? Dhawan or Rahul?

KL Rahul might get the nod ahead of Dhawan

Writer's take

Rahul seems to have an upper hand over Shikhar Dhawan. Dhawan's doesn't have a good record in overseas conditions as his technique has often been exposed. He also bagged a pair in the practice game against Essex. While Rahul's technique is superior as compared to Dhawan and is likely to be preferred over Dhawan.

Both these batsmen can be in the playing XI if India decides to play Rahul at number 3 by dropping Pujara. But it is highly unlikely that they would tinker with the middle order.