Test cricket will return to terrestrial television on Friday when India and England begin their four-match Test series in Chennai, live on Channel 4.
Such news is most welcome given it appeared only a few days ago that this marquee series might not be available to viewers in the UK, something English cricket could ill afford on the back of a particularly challenging 12 months and with ongoing concerns about the sport’s participation and engagement.
On the field, England face just about the toughest test in cricket: taking on a fine India outfit that come into this series on the back of a remarkable victory in Australia, their second consecutive series success Down Under, and with home advantage now on their side.
With captain Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma back for this series, as well as the return to full fitness of Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin, the hosts promise to be incredibly tough to beat, in much the same way they were when winning 4-0 when these two sides met in this country back in 2016.
India are only 3/1 to win 4-0 this time around, and such quotes might just underestimate the progress Joe Root’s side have made in the last 12 months, with their recent 2-0 victory in Sri Lanka coming against moderate opposition, but highly commendable nonetheless.
Key to that victory was the resurgence of Root who led the way by plundering 426 runs at an average of 106.50 in only two matches, while Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow enjoyed solid series’ with the bat, similarly Dom Bess, Jack Leach and James Anderson with the ball.
A major concern for England is that neither Buttler nor Bairstow will be available for the duration of this series, with the former heading home after the first Test, meaning the batting will be even more dependent on Root’s blade and the return of Ben Stokes.
With Ollie Pope back in the selection mix following shoulder surgery, England will have to hope that trio can score enough runs to ensure they are competitive, but in Sri Lanka the top order looked short on ideas or the requisite skill needed to succeed against high-class spin in the subcontinent and I’ll be surprised if Root and Stokes don’t finish the series as England’s two leading runscorers.
The case for Root is rock-solid: England’s premier batsman comes into this series full of runs and confidence, has plenty of experience of batting in India having averaged close to 50 in that aforementioned 2016 series, and should continue to prosper if continuing to execute his trusted game-plan against spin.
Root’s ability to go deep into his crease to play the spinning ball at the end of its trajectory, or conversely, use his quick feet to advance down the pitch and meet the ball on the full, tied Sri Lanka’s spinners in knots only last month, as did his excellent use of the sweep shot.
Root seems sure to go well again and potentially finish the series as England’s leading runscorer once more, but he is odds-on in a few places now and I’m inclined to side with the returning STOKES instead.
While the case to be made for Root is a robust one, Stokes has plenty of upside himself and at the start of what promises to be a huge 12 months for England and their talisman, 5/1 about the Durham all-rounder looks fair enough.
Redemption is a narrative us sports journalists love to pedal, but Stokes had his in 2019 when driving England to Cricket World Cup glory at Lord’s before his Ashes spectacular at Headingley later that summer.
Redemption story complete then? Not quite. When Stokes got himself involved in an altercation outside a Bristol nightclub in September 2017, his actions had far-reaching ramifications for the England cricket team, including his absence from the Ashes tour only a few months later. England would go on to lose that series 4-0.
Since then, Stokes has matured into a consistent match-winner for his country with his batting evolving all the time and his rock-solid technique continuing to stand up to whatever is thrown at it.
Stokes handled the challenges posed by Indian conditions when making 345 runs at 38.33 in the 2016 series and he topped England’s runs list in the 2019 Ashes and then again against the West Indies last summer when amassing 363 runs at 90.75.
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