india: The three challenges India may face in their long-awaited Test match against England

The fifth Test, originally scheduled for Manchester in September 2021, begins today with India maintaining a 2-1 lead. But a lot has changed since then, with India having a new coach in Rahul Dravid and a new captain in Rohit Sharma, who is now unavailable due to Covid-19. ET Sport considers three major challenges for India, heading into the delayed finale:

buzzball

The England Test team was in despair. They were doing a great job in white-ball cricket but the Test team was in a tizzy. He had won only one Test out of the last 17 and lost 11. And then Brendon McCullum arrived. The turnaround could not have been quicker. In the first series they defeated World Test Championship (WTC) winners New Zealand 3–0. More than the result of the series, though notable, it was the manner in which England bulldozed the fourth innings target: 279/5 in 78.5 overs in the first Test, 299/5 in 50 overs in the second Test, 296/3 in 54.2 overs. In the third test. The fourth innings was considered the toughest and England just ran through New Zealand’s bowling line-up like a hot knife in butter. Many attribute this to Buzzball: a philosophy of relaxed mind, aggressive strategy and positive vibes that Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum popularized during his time as a New Zealander.

, Now India will be on the path of buzzball.

conditions

England has always been one of the toughest places to tour for the Indian team. It is difficult to conquer extreme differences in home and England conditions but with time, players become more comfortable with the conditions. Last summer, India entered the Test series after spending nearly a month and a half in the country, during which they also played in the WTC final against New Zealand. This prepared them well for the Test series, as India have now suggested a 2-1 lead. But he didn’t have that much time for the rescheduled Test. Controlling the circumstances will be the biggest challenge before India.

absence and form

India traveled to England without KL Rahul, who was injured ahead of the home T20I series against South Africa. Now, he has also lost the services of Rohit. Both were India’s top scorers last summer. Going into the fifth Test, India are not too sure about their second opener. Add to that the nostalgic look of Virat Kohli. A lot will depend on Cheteshwar Pujara, who had a stellar performance in the county circuit recently.

Originally published at Pen 18