India vs England 2021: Harsha Bhogle picks five players to watch out for in the Test series

India vs England 2021: Harsha Bhogle picks five players to watch out for in the Test series

WhatsApp Image 2020 08 30 at 8.07.29 PM

Harsha Bhogle
Harsha Bhogle

With the dust settling on India‘s famous series win over Australia in Australia, the focus now shifts the home series against England. The series is set to begin with the first Test in Chennai from February 5. The second Test will also take place in Chennai while the third and fourth are scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad.

The four-match series could also be crucial in deciding the outcome of the World Test Championship (WTC) points table. India will go into the series as favorites because of the home advantage. But in terms of form, both are similarly placed although India’s win over Australia is far significant to a clean-sweep over Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. The teams have already arrived in Chennai and are quarantining at the moment.

Bhogle takes his pick of 5 players

Virat Kohli with Joe Root

In a video posted by Cricbuzz, Indian cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle took his 5 picks of players to watch out for in the series.

His first pick was Indian skipper Virat Kohli and speaking about him, he said, “What happened to Virat Kohli in 2020 was very unusual. It was the only year without a century for him since his debut. I don’t think Kohli would be too bothered by it but he would know. Kohli will be saying “I won’t sit back for too long.” This has always been Kohli’s team. He will be keen as a captain to say “This is my team”.”

The second pick was spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and Bhogle said, “Ravichandran Ashwin strangely has not had quite the greatest record against England. He averages 35-36 with a strike-rate in excess of 70. He bowled magnificently in Australia. I see him emerge as a key player because if he bowls well, India have the series.” The third pick was Shubman Gill. “Allan Border said that he sees something in the young man. He almost got a hundred in a crucial game and so if he can keep all the expectations surrounding him down and can play the way he does, he could have a big impact,” Bhogle stated.

Bhogle’s pick for England were skipper Joe Root and pacer Jofra Archer. Talking about the duo, he said, “Joe Root is head and shoulders above any English batsman in these conditions. In Sri Lanka, he made a majority of their runs. So if Root has a bad series, England have no chance. He is key for England. With regard to pace, England have Anderson, Broad, Woakes and Curran. But in India when the ball stop swinging, medium-pace doesn’t get you wickets. On the subcontinent especially, you need extra pace. And this is where Jofra Archer will be key. Archer’s pace and the workload given to him will be interesting to watch.”

The first Test gets underway on February 5 in Chennai.

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