Preview: India vs England – 1st Test

First Published : 12 Nov 2012, 14:48
Last Modified : 15 Nov 2012, 09:08

By: Shirin Sadikot

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What

The first Test of the four-match series between India and England

When

November 15 to 19, 2012

Where

Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad. This venue has hosted 11 Test matches, six of which have ended in a draw. The only India-England Test here so far, in 2001, also was a drawn contest.

The teams

This series is seen as India’s chance to avenge the 0-4 humiliation they suffered in England last year. That series was a part of India’s horrific away season that also included a similar whitewash in Australia. Desperate to break their losing streak in Tests, India defeated New Zealand in two Tests at home – the first series they played after the retirement of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. With the team undergoing a transition, this home season is a great opportunity for young batsmen to settle down in the team, before embarking on challenging overseas tours next year.

For England the importance of this series is multi-fold. It is their chance to make the climb back to the Test No.1 status they achieved under the guidance Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss. This is also their first full series with their new captain, Alastair Cook. England haven’t won a series in India since 1984 – a statistic they’d desperately want to change. If they are to rewrite history this time, England batsmen will have to put their inhibitions against spin bowling behind them.

Key players

In absence of two middle-order stalwarts, India’s remaining senior batsmen – Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir – will have to regain their lost touch rather quickly. Sehwag and Tendulkar have shown signs of form ahead of the series with centuries in their respective teams’ first Ranji Trophy matches of the ongoing season. Besides the senior batsmen, spinners Pragyan Ojha, R Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh, will have a huge role to play in capitalising against the England batsmen’s perceived weakness against tweakers.

Kevin Pietersen’s last moment inclusion into England’s squad has added a lot of weight to their prospects in India. As someone with immense experience of the Indian conditions and one of their better players of spin, along with Ian Bell, Pietersen will hold the key to England’s batting. Another challenge for the English will be for their fast bowlers to make an impact on Indian tracks.

Trivia

James Anderson has dismissed Sachin Tendulkar seven times in 10 Tests, at an average of 1.42 matches per dismissal.

MS Dhoni has lost only one Test out of 20 in which he has captained India on home soil. The only defeat came against South Africa at Nagpur in 2009-10.

 England have played more Tests in India than any other visiting side – 51. West Indies (43) and Australia (42) come next.

 On 45 occasions – out of 48 – England have batted first after winning the toss. India have done so on 45 out of 55 occasions.

Venue stats

India: Played 11, Won 3, Lost 2, Drawn 6,

England: Played 1, Won 0, Lost 0, Drawn 1

1. Average first innings score at Sardar Patel Stadium: 

Overall: 354

Since 2000: 382

2. Average second innings score at Sardar Patel Stadium: 

Overall: 366

Since 2000: 425

3. Result summary at Sardar Patel Stadium:

4. Head-to-head:

5. Last meeting between both sides at Sardar Patel Stadium:

11-15 December 2001

Brief scores: England 407 & 257, India 291 & 198-3. Match drawn

6. Form guide (most recent listed first):

India:        Won, Won, Lost, Lost, Lost (2 Wins, 3 Losses)

England:   Lost, Drawn, Lost, Drawn, Won (1 Win, 2 Losses)

Squads

India: MS Dhoni (capt, wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, M Vijay, Zaheer Khan, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, R Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha

England: Alastair Cook (capt), Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonathan Bairstow, Nick Compton, Matt Prior (wk), Joe Root, Samit Patel, James Anderson, Steven Finn, Stuart Broad, Stuart Meaker, Graham Onions, Graeme Swann, Monty Panesar, Eoin Morgan, Tim Bresnan