Kumble will keep tabs on England pair

ANIL KUMBLE has singled out Alastair Cook and Joe Root as the two players India must deal with if they are to avenge their home defeat by England four years ago. Cook was captain during that 2012-13 series, scoring three hundreds as his side won 2-1. Kumble, a leg-spinning legend and now India’s head coach, played down suggestions that previous results would have relevance to the five-Test series starting in Rajkot on Wednesday. ‘England have a quality side,’ he said. ‘Alastair Cook has been there on a number of occasions, and that’s something we’ll be looking at. Then there’s Joe Root. Their bowling line-up has troubled us in the past, too.’