England vs India, 2018, 1st Test: Preview, Head-to-Head, Weather Report, Predicted XI & Key Stats

So, here we are at the start of yet another series between India and England, which is expected to be a gruelling contest for both the teams.

The Englishmen would be entering the Test series with a lot of confidence, given their recent ODI series win against India. England looks settled in the all the departments, and team selection will be key for both teams.

India have their fair share of problems right now: Shikhar Dhawan and Pujara's form, fitness of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Bumrah, and the dilemma of choosing the spinners.

England vs India, 1st Test Details

Match Date: 1 August - 5 August 2018, Wednesday

Match Timing: 15:30 IST, 10:00 AM GMT, 11:00 AM LOCAL

Match Venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham, England

Team News

India - India's fast bowling specialists, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, are set to miss the 1st Test owing to their respective injuries. Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin was dealt with a minor blow in the practice match against Essex. However, he is said to be fully fit for the opening Test against India.

England - As of now, there are no injury concerns for the England team.

Weather

After almost three months, the rain gods have marched towards England. However, rains are not expected to be a spoilsport in the 1st Test. The humidity levels clocking around 63 percent with the temperature levels panning around 21 degree Celsius, it is expected to be a perfect day in Birmingham on 1st of August.

Head-to-head in Tests

England and India have played 117 Test matches. Out of these, India has won 25 while England has won 43, with 49 matches ending in a draw.

Head-to-head in Tests in England

England and India have met 57 times in England in Tests. Out of these, England has registered a win on 30 occasions while India on 6 occasions, with 21 matches ending in a draw.

England 1st Test Squad:

Joe Root (C), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow (WK), Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid, Sam Curran, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, and James Porter.

England's Probable XI for the 1st Test: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (C), Dawid Malan, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow (WK), Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, and James Anderson

India 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Test Squad:

Virat Kohli (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, and Mohammed Shami.

India's Probable XI for the 1st Test: Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Ishant Sharma.

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Stats and numbers

10 – James Anderson is just 10 wickets short of the 550-mark in the history of Test cricket. Taking these wickets, Anderson will become the 2nd fast bowler to take 550 or more Test wickets.

12 – Ishant Sharma needs 12 more scalps to complete 250 wickets in the history of Test cricket. Scalping these wickets, Ishant will become the only 7th Indian to take 250 or more wickets in Test cricket.

24 – Stuart Broad needs 24 more runs to achieve the feat of 3000 Test runs. Amassing these runs, Broad will become the only 5th player to achieve a double of 3000 Test runs and 400 wickets in Test cricket.

40 – Joe Root, the skipper of the England team, is just 40 runs behind the mark of 6000-Test runs. Scoring these runs, Root will become the 15th Englishmen to score 6000 or more runs in Test cricket.

93 – Murali Vijay needs to score 93 more runs to achieve the feat of 4000 runs in the history of Test cricket. Garnering these runs, he will become the 16th Indian to accomplish this feat.

107 – Ajinkya Rahane, the deputy to Virat Kohli, is just 107 short of the 3000-run mark in Test cricket. Amassing these runs, Rahane will become the 22nd Indian to score 3000 or more runs in Test cricket.