CHENNAI: The India and England teams that arrived in Chennai on Wednesday, have been placed under quarantine in a city hotel after completing their Covid-19 tests. Both teams will be under quarantine for six days during which time they will undergo two more RT-PCR tests. If those tests return negative, they will enter the bio-secure bubble and resume training from February 2.
The 32-member England contingent, led by Joe Root, arrived in the morning from Colombo after a successful tour of Sri Lanka, where they won the series 2-0. The Indian players and support staff, arrived in batches and were told to produce Covid-19 negative certificate before entering the hotel. Even the chairman of selectors — Chetan Sharma — has entered the bio-bubble and will be placed in Zone 1A, meaning he can mingle with the team, but won’t be allowed in the dressing room area.
The series will be the first in India since the pandemic stuck and with a World Test Championship final berth up for grabs, the series holds significance for both the teams. While India undoubtedly start the series as favourites, they will be wary of England, which the only visitors to defeat the hosts in the last 15 years. Although that core of the team has long gone, the presence of Root, James Anderson and Stuart Broad right through the series will pose a threat to the hosts, especially with the kind of preparation England have had in Sri Lanka.
However, switching to the SG ball will be a big difference to a side that doesn’t have experience in its spinning ranks. Moeen Ali is the only spinner who has played a Test in India before as the likes of Jake Leach, Dom Bess and Dan Lawrence are on their maiden visit.
Since the time England defeated India at home in 2012, the hosts have gone from strength to strength, having lost only one Test at home in the last eight years. The last time these two teams played in the sub-continent, the hosts won the five-match series 4-0 on what were typical flat Indian wickets. In that sense, that task is even bigger for England given they are going to rest several of their regulars to keep them fresh in a year they will play 17 Tests.
As a result, Jonny Bairstow, who was among those who had a decent series with the bat in Sri Lanka, will not be available for the first two Tests in Chennai and Jos Buttler will fly home after the first Test and join the team for the ODIs. This means England will hand over the wicketkeeping gloves to Ben Foakes for the last three Tests. England’s best chance will be the third Test in Ahmedabad, which will be a day/night affair, in conditions that will suit Anderson and Broad.