Bazball vs. Turning Ball: India, England begin five-match test series in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD, India (AP) — Red-ball cricket and the quality of pitches will be the major talking points when India takes on England in a five-test series starting Thursday.

This is India’s only long-format international engagement at home in the 2023-24 season, after it previously hosted the 50-over Cricket World Cup last year in October and November.

Over the past few seasons, test cricket in India has come under scrutiny due to the nature of the spin-friendly pitches.

A year ago, world test champion Australia played in Nagpur, Delhi and Indore. All three tests finished within three days — India won with relative ease in both Nagpur and Delhi before Australia won in Indore.

Spinners accounted for 95 out of 113 wickets to fall in that four-match series, with no Australian pace bowler taking more than three wickets.

It will likely be more of the same in this series.

The nature of wickets in India became a trend from 2019, when South Africa visited, and then continued with England’s last tour here in 2021. In that series, the third test in Ahmedabad — played under lights with a pink ball — finished in two days.

“You get different conditions in India, and the home team is really good (in these conditions). I don’t think we will be defensive. We will still look to take the game on and take the positive option,” England pace bowler Mark Wood said.

Coached by former New Zealand cricketer Brendon McCullum and captained by Ben Stokes, England has attempted to redefine test cricket. It was seen in the past couple of seasons against Pakistan, New Zealand and at home against Australia.

With “BazBall,” England has played a more attacking brand, often pushing some matches into a shorter time frame. The cricket-loving masses in India are also excited to watch a style that has brought test cricket more in sync with the modern-day Twenty20 format.

Even so, England has only found relative success under Stokes and McCullum. It has won 13 out of 18 tests, losing four matches and drawing only one game. It has beaten New Zealand and South Africa at home, while blanking Pakistan 3-0 away.

But England only drew in New Zealand, and then failed to beat Australia at home in 2023. It was 2-0 down in the Ashes, before pulling back to draw level at 2-2 but unable to regain the urn.

England was the last team to win a test series in India — back in 2012 under Alastair Cook. Since then, India is unbeaten at home — losing only three of 44 tests on home soil in the last 11 years.

“I don’t think we are unbeatable, India skipper Rohit Sharma said. “Whatever past records we have over the past decade or so, they do not guarantee that we will come out on top in this series. We will have to play well to win this series.”

Ahead of the test, attacking middle-order batter Harry Brook has flown home for personal reasons and won't be returning. Young spinner Shoaib Bashir is yet to arrive in India due to visa issues and flew home on Tuesday from Abu Dhabi to sort out his travel arrangements.

Batter Dan Lawrence has been called up to replace Brook.

England’s bowling, especially in the spin area, appears lightweight. Along with Bashir, it has brought 19-year-old wrist spinner Rehan Ahmed — who has played one test — and left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, who is yet to make his test debut.

Both Ahmed and Hartley were selected Wednesday in a starting XI containing three spinners, with Jack Leach the most experienced of the trio. Joe Root is another spin option for Stokes.

Wood is the only pace bowler in the lineup as Stokes is not bowling this series after recently undergoing knee surgery.

India also has its share of problems ahead of the first test. Star batter Virat Kohli pulled out of the first two tests due to personal issues. It leaves a major hole in the Indian middle order, both in terms of runs and experience as its batting lineup undergoes a transition.

Veterans Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have been left out, with less experienced players — Yashaswi Jaiswal (four tests), Shubman Gill (20 tests) and Shreyas Iyer (12 tests) — added to the squad.

Right-handed batter Rajat Patidar, who has been in good form for India A, has been added as Kohli’s replacement but is unlikely to play the first test. He scored 111 and 151 in three innings against the England Lions, earning him the call-up.

While India didn’t name its starting XI, Sharma confirmed that it will field three spinners.

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Lineups:

India: To be announced.

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (captain), Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, Jack Leach.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket