England vs India 2018 - Analyzing India's squad for the Test series against England

Middle Order (Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Karun Nair)

The Indian middle order is full of match winners.

The Indian middle order has always been the strength of the Indian cricket team, and it continues to be crucial for the team in 2018 as well. From the likes of Amarnath, Vishwanath and Vengsarkar to the mighty trio of Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman, the batsmen at position 3, 4 and 5 have always been the backbone of the Indian team.

And continuing this trend is the group of three of the best Indian test batsmen right now - Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. Ever since the change of guard back in 2012, these three batsmen have, both individually and in tandem with others, contributed heavily to the teams success.

Even though Pujara has struggled in England in the past, his county stint with Yorkshire will help him rebuild his confidence for the test series.

England is probably the biggest challenge for Virat Kohli, who had a dismal tour in 2014 and will be looking to continue his splendid form to wash the memories from last tour.

Last, but not least, is India's overseas specialist in Ajinkya Rahane, who has proven time and time again his value in the team with his unbelievable performances in the longer format. The addition of Karun Nair, India's second Triple centurion, ahead of Rohit Sharma has only strengthened an already solid middle order, and provided India with an extra batsman.

Verdict - An experienced and proven middle order that is hell bent on proving their profess outside the sub-continent.