SO GOOD HE DOESN’T NEED A BAT!
MURALI VIJAY (OPENER) AGE: 34 TESTS: 57
Made runs against England in India and, more importantly, on their last tour here to show he can prosper in English conditions. Very organised, gets his head down and bats long. Elegant and compact with a good technique.
SHIKHAR DHAWAN (OPENER) AGE: 32 TESTS: 30
Has a very good record at home and India may pick him as he’s such a dynamic player but there are questions. He bagged a pair against Essex in the only warm-up, struggles away from home and has been clumsy on this tour, like dropping his bat and being run out during the ODIs.
KL RAHUL (TOP-ORDER BATSMAN) AGE: 26 TESTS: 24
I would go for Rahul to open ahead of Dhawan. His form in white-ball cricket has been sensational, especially in the IPL. Even though this is the red-ball game, he has a good technique. Quick on to the short ball, but he can be a bit of a happy hooker.
CHETESHWAR PUJARA (TOP-ORDER BAT) AGE: 30 TESTS: 58
Hopelessly out of nick but remains a key cog in this batting line-up and I think he’ll play at three. If there’s one player that Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri would love to see back to his best form it’s Pujara. He holds their batting together. He’s the glue as an old-fashioned No 3 who can see off the new ball before Kohli comes in. If the captain is exposed early that could be crucial in the outcome of the series.
VIRAT KOHLI (CAPTAIN, TOP-ORDER BATSMAN) AGE: 29 TESTS: 66
The absolute star performer. Desperate to put right his dismal tour of 2014 against nemesis Jimmy Anderson. England’s leading wicket-taker kept on getting him out in exactly the same way, nicking off on or around ‘fourth’ stump. The India captain has changed his technique and tries to get further forward against the seamers before the ball can move. England might try what South Africa did and drag him outside off- stump before surprising him with a straight ball to get him lbw. Needs to score runs in England to confirm himself as one of the greats. Better captain when he’s feisty.
AJINKYA RAHANE (TOP-ORDER BATSMAN) AGE: 30 TESTS: 45
Good, organised player who has scored runs away from India and burst on to the scene in this country with a hundred at Lord’s in 2014. It’s a strength of this India side to have a player who has done well in England at No 5 to come in after Virat and the vice-captain is an important member of their line-up.
DINESH KARTHIK (WICKETKEEPER) AGE: 33 TESTS: 24
India wanted their keeper to score runs once Wriddhiman Saha was injured and Karthik is the best batting option, a proper batsman who keeps. It won’t be easy for him, especially if the ball wobbles, but he improves India’s batting line-up and could play at six or seven.
HARDIK PANDYA (ALL-ROUNDER) AGE: 24 TESTS: 7
As England are always looking for the new Ian Botham, so India are always looking for the next Kapil Dev. Pandya can flatter to deceive but smashed a rapid hundred against Sri Lanka and is a counter-attacking player. Started well in South Africa until the ball started moving around. His bowling allows India to play two spinners.
RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN (ALL-ROUNDER) AGE: 31 TESTS: 58
India will probably pick two spinners out of three and I would definitely go with Ashwin as one of them. England could have quite a few left-handers and Ashwin is particularly good against them. Varies his pace and brings both edges into play but not quite as good away from home. Strengthens batting as a good No 8 in English conditions.
KULDEEP YADAV (LEG SPINNER) AGE: 23 TESTS: 2
Ravindra Jadeja is a good cricketer who was all over Alastair Cook last time in India but I would go for the left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep ahead of him just for the shock value. We saw how it took time for the England white-ball players to work Kuldeep out and the same could apply to the red-ball batsmen who haven’t faced him. And it’s always a good idea to pick a wrist-spinner against England.
ISHANT SHARMA (FAST BOWLER) AGE: 29 TESTS: 82
It’s a blow that Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah are missing but India’s seamers have been as good as any around the world and they have depth. I would pick Ishant at Edgbaston. He has been playing for Sussex and bowled well in England on the last tour, particularly at Lord’s. Tall, bouncy bowler who will target Moeen Ali as soon as he comes in.
UMESH YADAV (FAST BOWLER) AGE: 30 TESTS: 37
I would go for Umesh rather than Mohammed Shami but both are very skiddy, have quick arms and bowled very well against England last time. Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings will have to be at the top of their games because it would be foolish to just think of Indian spin as the only threat. Don’t write off the seamers!