As England head into India Test series, here are the key questions

We can’t agree on who opens for England, how many spinners or which fast bowlers to pick… But we can all agree India will win! Sportsmail experts NASSER HUSSAIN, PAUL NEWMAN and DAVID LLOYD on the upcoming Test series

• Nasser Hussain, David Lloyd and Paul Newman give their views on the series
• The consensus is that Joe Root will be England’s main man on the sub-continent 
• India’s strength in depth was shown in a stunning Test series win in Australia
• Our panel is split over whether Rory Burns should re-enter the batting line-up 
• The trio are also unsure whether Moeen Ali should finally get his chance

England’s big year of Test cricket is ramped up on Friday when they play India in Chennai in the first of four Tests. Here, former England captain Nasser Hussain, former England coach David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd and cricket correspondent Paul Newman look at the issues that will decide the series.

WHAT CHANCE HAVE ENGLAND GOT OF WINNING IN INDIA?

Nasser Hussain has hailed Joe Root and Chris Silverwood’s brand of cricket away from home

Nasser Hussain: England have got a chance, absolutely, the way they’re playing. The brand and style of cricket Joe Root and Chris Silverwood have put together has made them much better away from home. But, make no mistake, this and Australia away are the two hardest challenges for an England side. They will need to start well.

David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd: India are raging favourites but it will be good for England to be underdogs. It will help them to have had two matches in Sri Lanka in what you’d think will be similar conditions. If I’m putting my two bob anywhere it’s on India.

Paul Newman: England’s chances are slim, sadly. Yes, Root was exceptional in Sri Lanka but even he will struggle to do what Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen did in 2012. And Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar were world class then. With the best will in the world, England just haven’t got spinners of that quality any more. More county pitches like Taunton please!

WHO ARE ENGLAND’S KEY FIGURES?

Bumble: Joe Root simply has to match Virat Kohli. And England’s bowlers need to keep Kohli quiet. The onus will also be on England’s openers to be more solid than they were in Sri Lanka. I was pleased for Dom Sibley because he looked a lot better in his last innings.

Newman: England are developing a pleasing habit of big first-innings scores under Silverwood’s ‘it’s not rocket science’ policy but, remember, they made 477 in Chennai last time and it wasn’t nearly enough because of a triple century from Karun Nair. Whatever happened to him? So England’s batsmen absolutely hold the key.

Hussain: Obviously Root, the way he is batting. He will need big runs again because you can score 400 as a side in the first innings in India and still lose.

It will spin at some stage and even though Jack Leach and Dom Bess took wickets in Sri Lanka they admitted they could have bowled better. And India are a lot stronger. Don’t forget your seamers in India!

HOW STRONG ARE INDIA?

Star batsman Virat Kohli is returning to the fold after the birth of his daughter earlier in January

Hussain: They are very strong but Ravindra Jadeja’s injury is a massive blow. We saw England struggle against left-arm spin in Sri Lanka and Jadeja plays his IPL cricket in Chennai and knows the ground well. Without him their balance is an area England could exploit.

Kohli might have a point to prove with everyone talking about Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy in Australia.

Bumble: India are the best in the world as they showed in beating Australia almost without the captain. They’ve got a balanced team and wonderful batsmen. Nasser says they will miss Jadeja but Axar Patel is a very good bowler if they go the way of spin.

Newman: Didn’t we all love it when they won in Brisbane with a virtual second team? That showed their incredible depth and I’m looking forward in particular to watching the star of the Gabba —Rishabh Pant.

DOES RORY BURNS COME STRAIGHT BACK IN AS OPENER?

Bumble has backed Zak Crawley (left) and Dom Sibley (right) to keep Rory Burns out of the side

Newman: I would bring back Burns. If this rest and rotation policy is going to work, England can’t have any qualms in going back to the men in possession. And Zak Crawley goes to three where, remember, just three Tests ago he was making 267 against Pakistan.

Bumble: No. I’m going to go with the openers (Sibley and Crawley) who have just been playing. I’m uneasy about too many walking straight back in without any cricket. Sibley and Crawley should be better for the experiences they had in Galle.

Hussain: Yes. It does worry me players are going to come back in without any cricket and I’m also concerned about left-handers against Ravi Ashwin. But, with consistency in selection in mind, I’d back Burns and I’d have Crawley at three despite his problems in Sri Lanka. He just has to be a bit softer with his wrists when playing spin.

DAN LAWRENCE OR OLLIE POPE?

Our panel were split over whether Ollie Pope (pictured) should start ahead of Dan Lawrence

Hussain: Lawrence did very well but I would go Pope, again with the caveat that it won’t be easy playing in Chennai without any cricket. He is a fantastic prospect and a brilliant close catcher which will be important in India.

Bumble: I go back to last summer when you asked for our team for the first Ashes Test. I had Lawrence at three and that’s where I’m putting him now. I’m assuming Pope is fit and I’ve got him at six. He’s going to play a lot for England, so get him back.

Newman: This is a tricky one. I believe both have huge futures but there is probably only room for one now and I’m sticking with Lawrence, mainly because Pope has injured that shoulder twice so let’s not rush him back.

WOULD YOU PLAY TWO SPINNERS? DOES MOEEN ALI PLAY?

Moeen Ali thought he would make a Test return in Sri Lanka before Covid-19 dashed his hopes

Bumble: I’ve thought long and hard and I’m going to keep the same two (Bess and Leach). They will be better for the overs they bowled in Sri Lanka and they will be playing in a stronger England team for the presence of Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer.

Newman: Moeen is so unlucky to be the only man in England cricket to test positive for Covid just when it looked like he’d play in Sri Lanka.

I like the cut of Bess’s jib but I do worry about him in India. England might be better playing to their strengths with four seamers unless it’s an absolute raging turner of a pitch.

Hussain: Moeen Ali right now, as a cricketer, is better than Bess but he hasn’t played Test cricket for 18 months and Bess has come in and taken wickets. But I wouldn’t guarantee I’d play two spinners every Test. India’s top five are all right-handers which won’t help off-spin.

CAN WE PLAY BOTH ANDERSON AND BROAD IN INDIA?

Stuart Broad and James Anderson have taken an incredible combined total of 301 Test wickets

Hussain: Don’t over-complicate selection, don’t over-think it, don’t have any pre-conceived ideas. Just look down at the pitch and choose your best attack for those conditions. In Chennai, you probably need two spinners but in Ahmedabad, under lights for the third Test, England may need to play both Anderson and Broad, have Root as second spinner and leave Bess out.

Bumble: I’m still playing one and alternating them because I think that’s a great idea in these conditions. Not so for the Ashes, I won’t be doing this there.

Newman: I’ve been in the ‘play one of them overseas’ camp because if we turn up at Brisbane with four right-arm medium-fast bowlers we will lose, simple as that. But both of the two thoroughbreds are bowling so well that I may well have changed my mind for India…

BUMBLE, IS IT A WORRY THE UMPIRES ARE SO INEXPERIENCED?

Bumble: It is. Having been on the ICC elite umpires selection panel, I know the India players, coaching staff, media and not least the public put enormous pressure on their umpires. Their only member of the elite panel now is Nitin Menon and he’s only stood in a handful of Tests. In normal times the ICC would have had the very best in the world for this series. I know we can’t do that now but it could become an issue.

YOUR XI FOR THE FIRST TEST?

Bumble: Sibley, Crawley, Lawrence, Root, Stokes, Pope, Buttler, Bess, Archer, Leach, Anderson/Broad.

Hussain: Burns, Sibley, Crawley, Root, Stokes, Pope, Buttler, Bess, Archer, Leach, Broad/Anderson.

Newman: Sibley, Burns, Crawley, Root, Stokes, Lawrence, Buttler, Archer, Broad, Leach, Anderson.

PREDICTION FOR THE SERIES?

Hussain: India are favourites and I’d go for them winning 2-1 but this England side can surprise you and they’re on an upward curve.

Bumble: I think India will win hands down, maybe 3-0 or 4-0, but I’d love to be proved wrong.

Newman: I don’t like to be pessimistic but I fear a convincing India victory. I’m saying 3-1.

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