KNOW THE VENUE

Southampton’s Rose Bowl will stage only its second Test. India played an ODI in 2011 here. The ground, shaped like a circular amphitheatre, has an impressive three-storey pavilion with a canopied roof.

SINKING SHIP

In Alastair Cook’s tenure, England was never as vulnerable as it is now. And to see how high the stakes are for England and Cook, these points would do. They have failed to win their last 10 Tests, their longest winless run since 1992-93. Defeat in this Test would mean England would have failed to win either of their series in a home summer for the second time in the last 15 years – they drew with Pakistan and lost to Australia in 2001.

Since May last year, Cook has scored 638 runs in 27 innings averaging 23.6. “It’s our best chance to win the series here. If we win this Test, we should be fine,” is what the team management feels.

A hurt England will come back hard at India in the opening skirmishes and it will be about who will seize the early advantage. Cricket is mainly a game of first innings. Teams that lose ground seldom recover to come back and win. For India, the key will be to soak in the early pressure. A bit of luck could be decisive here as the team bowling under cloud cover will have the advantage. If India sit back and look to defend their series lead, the consequences could be disastrous.