In the third Test of the five-match bilateral series, India will take on England at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot tomorrow, February 15, at 9:30 AM IST.
A short break and we are back with some red ball cricket. The India-England series is currently tied 1-1, with the visitors winning the first game marginally while, on the other hand, India outclassing them handsomely in the second match. India are going with some new faces in the other three matches and there’s a good chance that Sarfaraz Khan will debut in Rajkot. Rajat Patidar will most likely retain his place, while Rohit Sharma, Shubham Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal are the core in batting already. With the ball as well, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Kuldeep Yadav will aim to restrict the Bazball. Most possibly, Mohammed Siraj will be back in place of Mukesh Kumar.Â
On the other hand, Team England, after spending a quality vacation in the UAE, are back and will aim for a refreshing positive start once again. The side, over the course of two matches, has showcased quality outings with both bat and bowl. However, the team has not been consistent with its performance and thus will try to to fix this. The likes of Ollie Pope, and Ben Stokes have shown good signs with the bat. Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett have also provided a good start but couldn’t capitalise on it to build a humongous partnership. Moreover, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes haven’t been effective and, thus have a lot to answer with the bat. Veteran bowler James Anderson has given vital breakthroughs for his side while spinners Jack Leach, Tom Hartley, and Rehan Ahmed have also taken wickets at regular intervals. Root has also been a lethal bowler in the first Test and will hope to showcase a similar performance in Rajkot.Â
Head-to-Head:
Both nations have played 133 Tests against each other, with England obtaining 51 wins, and India just 32. In addition, 50 matches also ended in a draw.
Where to watch:
TV: Sports18
OTT: JioCinema