England is set to embark on a busy year of Test cricket, kicking off with a challenging five-match series in India as they look to extend their successful ‘Bazball’ revolution in the subcontinent. Under the coaching leadership of Brendon McCullum since 2022, the English Test team has maintained an impressive record, remaining undefeated in home and away series, securing four victories and three draws. Their overall Test record during this period stands at 14 wins and six defeats.
However, the memory of their last tour to India lingers, where England suffered a 3-1 defeat, winning the initial Test but succumbing heavily in the subsequent three matches by margins of 317 runs, 10 wickets, and an innings and 25 runs, respectively. Since their notable 2-1 triumph in 2012-13, England has struggled in India, managing just one win out of nine Tests, with seven losses and one draw.
Preceding the Indian tour, England’s white-ball side concluded 2023 with a T20 and one-day international series in the West Indies. The hosts have now disclosed their squad for the initial two Test matches, which can be reviewed here. The fixture list and schedule in UK time are as follows:
- 1st Test: January 25–29, Hyderabad (4 am start)
- 2nd Test: February 2–6, Visakhapatnam (4 am start)
- 3rd Test: February 15–19, Rajkot (4 am start)
- 4th Test: February 23-27, Ranchi (4 am start)
- 5th Test: March 7–11, Dharamsala (4 am start)
The broadcasting details for India vs England on UK TV channels remain uncertain as of the second week of the new year, with arrangements for subcontinent tour TV rights typically confirmed at short notice. Live radio coverage will be available on Talksport, not BBC Test Match Special, as Talksport outbid the BBC for the rights.
The England squad features three debutants: 20-year-old Somerset off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, Lancashire left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, and Surrey fast bowler Gus Atkinson. Bashir, with only six first-class games under his belt, has been selected based on potential and notable performances during an England Lions training camp in the UAE. The squad also includes leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed and the returning Jack Leach, providing a fourth spin option after recovering from a back stress fracture. Notably absent are spinners Liam Dawson and Will Jacks, while the seam-bowling options include James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, and Gus Atkinson.
England’s 16-man squad for India
Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood
Who is in the India squad?
India are the top-ranked side in Test cricket, after a 1-1 draw in the three-match series against South Africa. The hosts have now confirmed their 16-man squad for those first two Test matches:
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan.
What are the most recent Test results between the two teams?
India in England (2021)
August: Match drawn
August: India won by 151 runs
August: England won by an innings and 76 runs
September: India won by 157 runs
July 2022 (match delayed by Covid): England won by seven wickets
England in India (2021)
February: England won by 227 runs
February: India won by 317 runs
February: India won by 10 wicket
March: India won by an innings and 25 runs
