India's strongest Test XI for England tour

India will have a tough task on their hands as they face England in a marathon five-match Test series in a few months' time. The Indian Test side has improved leaps and bounds under the leadership of Virat Kohli which saw them rise to the top of the ICC Test rankings. However, their away record isn’t impressive and to be a top side they have to deliver in challenging conditions.

India didn’t have the best of starts to their streak of away tours, as they ended up losing the Test series 2-1 against South Africa. A couple of selection blunders and the lack of contribution from the top order batsmen cost them the series. Nonetheless, India came out victorious in the final Test under strenuous conditions which would’ve rejuvenated the side.

To face England in their own backyard, India have to get the playing combinations right. Let’s have a look at the best playing eleven.

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Openers - KL Rahul and Murali Vijay

Murali Vijay

When it comes to the opening slot, it’s a toss-up between Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul with Murali Vijay being the constant. India’s best bet is to go with KL Rahul and Murali Vijay as they are well equipped to excel in English conditions.

Opening the innings, especially in England conditions isn’t an easy task, as the Duke ball darts around for a long time and these two need to provide a solid start and put their side in a strong position. Murali Vijay, having the experience of playing in England before, will stay patient and wait for the right deliveries to go after, whilst KL Rahul will be itching to take the aggressive route as he is a natural stroke maker

Middle order - Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane

Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane

The middle order is a vital cog of any Test team as they accumulate most of the runs and build huge partnerships. While Ajinkya Rahane has fond memories of scoring a century at Lord’s in his previous visit, Pujara and Kohli had serious trouble against the moving ball.

India’s no.3 and no.4 batsmen have given themselves the best chance to succeed in English soil by opting to play in County cricket. Whilst Pujara has been playing for Yorkshire, Kohli has signed a deal with Surrey for the month of June to get acclimatized to the conditions. Their experience will come in handy for India when they take on England later.

Wicket Keeper and All-rounder - Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik

Hardik Pandya

The inclusion of Hardik Pandya into the Test side has made things difficult for India as they have had to drop an extra batsman. Pandya provides a decent option as a bowling all-rounder, but his batting skills are very limited. However, India will be hoping that he comes good with the bat and provides the much-needed stability to the side.

As far as the wicket-keeping duties are concerned, Dinesh Karthik is the best option available for India at the moment. The 32-year-old also had the experience of opening the innings for India in England during the 2007 tour. India would love to see Karthik carrying his current limited-overs form into the longer format of the game.

Spinner - Ravichandran Ashwin

R Ashwin

It’s pretty obvious that Ravichandran Ashwin is the most preferred spinner for India when it comes to the longer format of the game. Despite having 300 plus Test wickets, Ashwin is yet to prove his mettle in overseas conditions.

The 31-year-old will take huge confidence from his performance in South Africa and would like to replicate the same in England. Also, his county experience with Worcestershire might come in handy as well.

Fast bowlers - Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ishant Sharma

Ishant Sharma

The pace trio of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ishant Sharma forms a formidable bowling attack. The biggest advantage that India have is the variety in the pace attack. Each bowler has a special skill set which makes the pace attack look multi-dimensional.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s biggest strength is his ability to swing the ball both ways with control and that’s always quite a handful in English conditions. Ishant Sharma toils hard for his wickets and he provides consistency with his line and length. His county stint with Sussex will pay rich dividends for India.

Bumrah has been the latest addition to India’s pace attack and with him in the side, India can put relentless pressure on the opposition. Bumrah will play a key role in bouncing out the batsmen and cleaning up the tail with his toe-crushing yorkers.