IND vs ENG: Five cricketers to watch out for in the Test series
The months of February and March will be enticing for Indian cricket fans. The Indian side will take on England in a riveting four-match Test series on home soil. Both the teams are entering the Test series on a high. While India retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy by beating Australia 2-1 in the land of the kangaroos, England too, thrashed Sri Lanka 2-0, to prepare themselves for the Indian challenge.
The four-match Test series will start on February 5th 2021, with the first Test slated to be played in Chennai. With that being said, let us take a look at five players to watch out for in the Test series between the two sides.
5. Ben Foakes
He is just 5 Test matches old, but will still play a key role for his country in the Test series against India. The only time Foakes toured Asia was in the year 2018 when England visited Sri Lankan shores. And, the right-hander was mighty impressive in that series. In the three matches that he played in Sri Lanka in 2018, Foakes scored 277 runs at an imposing average of 69.25, including a century and a half-century. Expect him to come hard at the Indian bowlers in the upcoming series.
4. Dom Bess
Dom Bess was impressive in England’s first Test series of 2021. In the two matches that he played in the short two-match rubber, the off-spinner picked up 12 wickets at an average of 21.25. Bess also picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the first Test as well. This will be Bess’ first tour to India. And, on tracks that will help the spinners, he will surely make life uncomfortable for the Indian willow wielders.
3. Rory Burns
Rory Burns missed the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka as he was expecting the birth of his child. However, the opening batsman is slated to return for the Tests against India. Again, this would be the first trip for Burns to India. The opener has not scored many runs in his last 4 outings in Tests. But, with a challenging tour to India ahead, expect Burns to come out all guns blazing when England and India square off in the Test series on Indian soil.
2. Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill’s scintillating arrival in the Test arena would have excited every Indian cricket fan. The right-hander bravely took on the Australian bowlers in challenging conditions in Australia. The 21-year-old scored 259 runs in the Test series against Australia and scored his runs at an average of 51.80. And needless to say, Gill will be hungry for more success in the series against England at home.
1. Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah has played 17 Test matches for India. But he is yet to feature in a single Test match at home. For the first time in three years since his Test debut, Bumrah will wear the whites for his country on his home soil on 5th February 2021. The right-arm pacer was in good form in the series against Australia, picking up 11 wickets at an average of 29.36. If Bumrah can hit the right areas and find his rhythm early in the series, the England batsmen will surely have some headaches to contend with.
