India will aim for a bright start to the gruelling and testing five-match Test series against hosts England when the first match begins at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham on Wednesday. India have not won a Test series in England since 2007, achieved under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid. And now under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, India are bracing up for a stern test in difficult English conditions. In this long tour of England, India won the Twenty20 International (T20I) series but they suffered a set-back in the three-match One-Day International (ODI) rubber. Following the loss in the ODIs, India will look to make a strong comeback -- but in a different format which challenges every cricketer to the hilt. Play fantasy league and win cash daily.
However, India must take heart from the way they fought against South Africa away even though they lost the series 1-2. India were impressive in all of the three Tests but in the first two Tests, they let the hosts off the hook. In the third Test, India pulled off a brilliant win which should give the side confidence and belief that no matter what the conditions are, the team is capable enough to at least be competitive. The biggest positive from the South Africa tour was the fact that the bowlers managed to pick 10 South African wickets in each of the six innings. (LIVE SCORECARD)
Live updates from India vs England, 1st Test, Day 1, straight from the Edgbaston cricket ground, Birmingham
15:05 IST: Playing XI for India in the first Test - Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Dinesh Karthik(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma.
Here's the Playing XI for the 1st Test match.#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/ElgoH1fc94
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 1, 2018
15:00 IST: Joe Root wins the toss and opts to bat first in the first Test of the series.
Toss news: England win the toss and bat first.
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 1, 2018
Thoughts on the team?
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https://t.co/p0BZ8gmP8Z pic.twitter.com/xp5l0ASNIu
14:55 IST: Typical English summer with overcast conditions. There is some moisture beneath but no fresh grass on the pitch. No harm in playing 2 spinners as they will get purchase later on. Win the toss bat first says Sanjay Manjrekar at the pitch report.
14:30 IST: England team for the first Test was announced yesterday. Here are the playing XI for England. Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (capt), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow (wk),Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (vice-capt), Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.
14:15 IST: Here's a look at the pitch on day 1 of the first Test.
Take a look at the pitch for the 1st Test against England.
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 1, 2018
Thoughts?#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/sEDKtIvz0f
13:45 IST: It's show time.
It's show time!#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/90ZlXBBD9A
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 1, 2018
13:30 IST: Hello and welcome to the Live coverage of the first Test between India and England at the Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham.
Moreover, many experts have tipped the current pace bowling unit as India's best in years and they will also look to make the best use of the seam-friendly wickets. While Bhuvenshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah will be out of action for the first three Tests, Kohli will leave out one of Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur in his fast bowling attack, which will be further boosted by all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
Considering it is a long five-match series, India need to be wary of the physical toll on the pacers and Kohli will have to utilise them smartly. The pacers will need to fire collectively and be ready at every opportunity because rotation will be a key factor.
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Virat Kohli says they were thinking of bowling first. Reckons it's going to be a good batting surface as Joe Root mentioned. Wants to exploit the conditions early on. Is really looking forward to do well and the guys are well prepared and excited to get things going. Feels the pitch looks very different compared to last year and it's going to be a good contest between the two teams. Adds that they don't carry any excess baggage despite not having a good record here. Let's everyone know they are going with three seamers, with Hardik Pandya as the all-rounder and Ravichandran Ashwin as the off spinner. Lands a big surprise by saying KL Rahul is in the team and Cheteshwar Pujara misses out.
Joe Root says it looks a good surface with a little bit cloud cover, but should be a good day for batting. Mentions they have been practicing well and it's all about delivering now. States that it's a great opportunity for his players to prove a point. Informs that the team has been picked after examining the pitch and is confident this bunch can get the job done.
TOSS - The spin of the coin goes Joe Root's way. And as mentioned a little bit earlier by Manjrekar, ENGLAND OPT TO BAT FIRST!
Pitch Report - Sanjay Manjrekar glancing over out there in the middle says there is some moisture in the pitch to begin with. Adds that overall, there isn't any fresh grass, but enough to assist the seamers early on. Continues saying the team winning the toss should bat first, as the surface will wear a different colour as the game goes on. He mentions that going with two spinners shouldn't be a problem at all and if Virat Kohli wins the toss, he has a big decision to make whether he wants to protect that apparent frail batting line-up.
If you've got a day off, pop that corn, kick back on those recliners and witness the spectacle about to be put on display. And if you're at work unfortunately, then pull up those smartphones and tune in on here to catch all the action. It's finally here, welcome to the big stage, ladies and gents. England and India lock horns in the much-awaited Test series. Plenty surrounding this red-ball contest. Who's going to play? Who'll miss out? England have already announced their XI, remains to be seen what combination India field. You can bet it's going to be a thrilling contest, with mind games and some (healthy) banter taking place throughout. Keep your eyes stuck here, the all-important pitch report and toss aren't far away...
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Rankings
- TEST
- ODI
- T20
| Rank | Team | Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  India |
125 |
| 2 |  South Africa |
106 |
| 3 |  Australia |
106 |
| 4 |  New Zealand |
102 |
| 5 |  England |
97 |
