File photo of Virat Kohli
Ahead of the first Test match between India and England at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, fans started to arrive at the stadium. While speaking to ANI before the game, a fan said that he would miss the former India skipper Virat Kohli. However, he is excited for the skipper, Rohit Sharma. “We really miss (Virat) Kohli because Telugu fans have a huge fan base for Kohli. We miss him playing in Hyderabad… But I am really excited to see Captain Rohit Sharma,” a fan said.
Meanwhile, another fan hoped that the hosts would clinch a win against England in the first Test match.
“India will win. Definitely, India will win the match,” another fan told ANI.
India skipper Rohit Sharma already stated that the way England plays isn’t their concern but the story of the five-match series will be ‘Bazball’ against spin.
The last time England ended with a series win on Indian soil was in 2012, when Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen batted to perfection, but the series fell in the visitors’ favour because of Monty Panesar, Graeme Swann and James Anderson’s heroics with the ball.
Since then, only Australia has managed to almost draw a Test series on Indian soil in 2016-17. While the spin against ‘Bazball’ unfolds, India batter Shubman Gill will find himself in the spotlight as he looks to establish himself in the No. 3 spot, which belonged to Cheteshwar Pujara till 2023.
The first Test on Thursday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad will mark the beginning of a new dawn in the history of Indian Test cricket. The hosts will appear in a Test match without Kohli, Pujara or Ajinkya Rahane in their playing XI for the first time since November 2011.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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