5 major worries for India ahead of Test series against England

After an emphatic series victory over India in the ODIs, England has pretty much solved the equation with the tour so far settled at 1-1 after the limited overs segment. The highly anticipated leg of the tour is in touching distance as things are evenly poised with both the teams eyeing on taking the honors by winning the long and grueling 5-match Test series that lies ahead of them.

Winning a Test series against England in their backyard is always a daunting task in hand. Knowing the fact that India’s last Test series win in this part of the world came 11 years ago, Virat Kohli and his boys will be aware of how things have panned out for them on their last two tours to England in 2011 and 2014.

As a determined squad embarks upon a new challenge, they will look to turn the tables in their favor by giving the English a taste of their medicine from the previous two tours. Having said that, problems galore for sub-continent giants as they will be eager to set them right before the series opener on August 1.

Here’s a look at some of the major problems that might worry Virat Kohli and Co.:

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#1 Opening conundrum

Ever since the departure of the settled pair of Sehwag-Gambhir, India have tried their luck many times but have failed to discover a permanent opening pair in whites. The race still continues to grow between the trio of Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, and KL Rahul. However, if Murali Vijay being the Test specialist finds a permanent spot for himself in the top of the order, it has always been his partner at the other end for whom Dhawan and Rahul continue to present their case. It is highly likely that Vijay-Dhawan might open for India in the first Test and KL Rahul will have to warm the benches to blame his luck.

Although this has been the story for quite some time now especially on the overseas tours. Dhawan always starts as the first-choice opener but his repeated failures make way for the backup to see him out by the end of the series. Even in India’s last overseas Test assignment against South Africa, Dhawan started the series as an opener but was made to sit out in the following two games. However, our question will be answered on the coming August 1 as we might prepare ourselves for all the possible surprises that Virat Kohli and his men are used to throwing at us.

#2 Form of Test specialists Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara

When talks are about India having a viable bowling attack to go past the visitors, it is always a matter of giving them the apt runs to play with to think of a Test victory. In order to do so, India will be relying heavily upon their top three to negate the swing and set the platforms for the batsman to follow. The top three features the likes of their Test specialists in Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara. The experienced duo has played in such condition on a couple of occasions before and India would love to count on their experience.

However, the current form of Vijay and Pujara is not as promising as one would expect. Pujara, who plays county for Yorkshire had a very mediocre season in the whites. The right-handed batsman had a disappointing outing with the bat with a string of low scores. However, he showed some form in the limited overs format but didn’t look much convincing throughout his stint. On the other hand, Vijay, who played a warm-up game for India A vs England Lions, looked a bit off-color in the solitary encounter. He could only manage 8 and 0 in the respective innings to make it worrying signs for India ahead of the first encounter.

#3 Who will don the wicketkeeping gloves: DK or Pant?

It will be for the second time in a row that India will be missing the services of their premier wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha on an overseas tour. Saha was ruled out after the first Test against South Africa pertaining to his thumb injury and is out on the subsequent tour of England for the 5-match Test series. Saha has been prioritized as the best wicket-keeper in the longest version of the game ever since MS Dhoni announced his retirement.

Now, the opportunity waits for Dinesh Karthik who got the nod ahead of Parthiv Patel, and Rishabh Pant, who got his maiden call-up for the Test matches. It will be interesting to see whether India bank on experience or they throw in Pant, who is coming after a prolific IPL season and a decent outing with the bat for the India A team. However, Kohli might go in with the experience of Karthik and keep Pant as a backup for the long tour. This might be the opportunity that could help Dinesh if he performs well behind the wicket and gets those crucial runs for India in the lower order.

#4 Bhuvneshwar’s injury and Bumrah’s availability for Test matches

The visitors were served with a major blow even before the start of the series. The bowler who was helped with most success in India’s last tour to England in 2014, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is in doubt for his selection in the Test squad. Kumar, who aggravated a lower back condition in the 3rd ODI is being assessed as a final call on his selection in the team will be taken only after he is declared fit to play in the Test matches. It is for sure that Indian team will not try to risk the bowler as an important tour to down underlies ahead of them.

On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah, who was ruled out of the limited-overs leg of the England series pertaining to a thumb injury, is expected to recover in time for the Test series. Although Bumrah is believed to be available only after the first Test match. The possible unavailability of the two speedsters might turn out to be a blessing in disguise as this will give more responsibility to the likes of Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav and may just get the best out of the two experienced fast bowlers.

#5 Ashwin’s overseas records

India’s spin wizard, Ravichandran Ashwin has been a certain match winner for India in the recent times. Ashwin has been the chief tormentor for the oppositions who have toured India in past two years or so. The spinner has claimed most number of wickets for India in the last home season and continues to be the leader of the pack in spin friendly conditions.

However, his numbers outside Asia don’t justify his ability as a spin bowler. It is much contrasting to his figures produces in India as a strike rate of less than 50 in India goes past 60 in the overseas conditions. There is a staggering decline in the 225 wickets in India to only 91 wickets claimed away from home. Now when there are speculations that Kuldeep Yadav might just get the nod ahead of Ashwin for the first Test match, these are alarming signs for the 31-year old who would love to prove his worth to his skipper even in the conditions that don’t assist spin much. The tour to England will be a litmus test for Ashwin as he would like to set right his previous records and play the necessary second fiddle to the fast bowlers.