India vs England predictions: India veteran could leave tourists in a spin
- India's Ravichandran Ashwin has taken 337 wickets in 55 home Test matches
- England have won 13 of their 18 Tests under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum
- Recommended bet: Ravichandran Ashwin to be Player of the Match
England were the last team to win a Test series in India, way back in 2012, but since then the powerhouses of the cricketing world have racked up 16 series triumphs in a row on their own patch.
Captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have inspired England's renaissance in Test cricket and they were unfortunate only to draw 2-2 with Australia in last summer's home Ashes series.
A tour of India remains the toughest assignment on the schedule, however, and England's inexperienced spin attack will need to hit the ground running in the first Test in Hyderabad.
Team news
India are missing Virat Kohli for the first two Test matches due to personal reasons so uncapped batsman Rajat Patidar has been added to the squad.
Fast bowler Mohammed Shami is injured and KL Rahul will play as a specialist batsman with KS Bharat or Dhruv Jurel keeping wicket for the hosts.
England batsman Harry Brook has returned home for personal reasons and rookie spinner Shoaib Bashir will link up with the squad at the weekend, after his visa application was delayed.
The tourists have confirmed their team for the first Test. Fast bowler Mark Wood is joined by spinners Jack Leach, Tom Hartley and Rehan Ahmed and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes is set for a first appearance since February 2023.
The stats
India have won their last 16 home Test series and they will hope Ravichandran Ashwin can lead the way, as he has taken 337 Test wickets in 55 appearances in India.
India have won their last four Tests in Hyderabad including innings victories over Australia and New Zealand, while England have won 13 of their 18 Tests under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.
Joe Root averages 50.1 after 10 Test matches in India, but team-mate Jonny Bairstow was dismissed for a duck in three of his last four innings in India.
Prediction
England have named their team for the first Test and they are clearly expecting spin-friendly conditions for the series opener in Hyderabad.
The tourists are going in with just one specialist fast bowler, Mark Wood, and a three-pronged spin attack made up of Jack Leach, debutant Tom Hartley and youngster Rehan Ahmed, who took seven wickets against Pakistan in his only previous appearance.
England's trio face the huge challenge of outbowling India's Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
Jadeja took 22 wickets in four Tests against Australia last year while Axar was virtually unplayable on England's 2021 tour, claiming 27 scalps at an average of 10.59.
However, the 37-year-old Ashwin is still the key man for India at home and he is a tempting price to be named player of the match in the first Test.
He took 12 wickets against New Zealand in Hyderabad in 2012 and his fresher form is also outstanding.
The off-spinner was player of the series against England in 2021, when he took 32 wickets in four matches and scored a crucial century in the second Test in Chennai, and he was the leading wicket-taker yet again in last year's 2-1 series victory over the Aussies.
