After demolishing New Zealand in a three-match Test series by 3-0, the English side have set their sights on the fifth rescheduled Test match against India. Having won all three matches by five, five and seven wickets respectively, the England side totally outclassed the Kiwi side in the Test series. Their new approach to Test cricket follows Ben Stokes’s war cry of them being in the “entertainment business” rather than the “sports business”.
Vowing to keep their approach the same, the England team management has announced the playing XI for the India Test. The recently announced playing XI welcomes back the veteran pacer James Anderson as well as Sam Billings into the side. Jamie Overton and wicketkeeper Ben Fox have been dropped to make way for Anderson and Billings.
Meanwhile, the Indian camp is going through a captaincy crisis of sorts. Rohit Sharma has been infected with COVID-19 and is likely to miss the 5th Test against England. Since KL Rahul is also out with an injury, choosing a captain seemed quite tricky for the team management.
Virat Kohli having stepped down from captaincy is very unlikely to shoulder the team responsibility, given the unceremonious nature of his removal. Rishabh Pant was chosen as the captain in the recently concluded India- South Africa T20I but his captaincy in the series, which levelled 2-2, left a lot to be desired. This excludes the wicketkeeper batter from the captaincy question as well.
Jasprit Bumrah is the most likely candidate for the capacity role in the England Test as he was the one leading the team on the fourth day of the India- Leicestershire warm-up match. India and England are going head to head in the rescheduled 5th Test match from India Tour of England in 2021. The solo Test match would be held at Birmingham on July 1.
England Playing XI for India Test:
Alex Lees, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (c), Sam Billings (wk), Matthew Potts, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, James Anderson.
