Chennai: England skipper Joe Root, playing his 100th test match, won the toss and decided to bat first in the first cricket test against India at the M A Chidambaram Stadium here today.India has made a few changes to the team that won the series 2-1 in Australia and go into the test with two pacers, two offies and a left arm spinner.
Skipper Virat Kohli is back in the team after the paternity leave, while speedser Ishant Sharma comes back from injury to share the new ball with Jasprit Bumrah, who also returned to the side after missing the last test in Australia.
Also returning to the side was R Ashwin, who missed the fourth and final test at Gabba due to injury, while offie Washington Sundar, whose batting skills came to the fore in the crucial Brisbane test, would be playing his first International match in his home town. India, going with five bowling options, has also picked Jharkhand left arm orthodox spinner Shahbaz Nadeem ahead of another left armer Axar Patel, who had a minor niggle.
England, as expectedly brought back all rounder Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, who missed the Sri Lankan series, besides batsman last minute addition Ollie Pope after batsman Zak Crawley was ruled out for the first two tests due to a wrist injury, while leaving out pacer Stuart Broad. England would be playing with two spinners--offie Dom Bess and left arm spinner Jack Leach.
Following is the team :
England: Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Joe Root (capt),Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (wk), Dom Bess, Jofra Archer, Jack Leach, James Anderson.
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, R Ashwin,Shahbaz Nadeem, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah.(UNI)
