The tourists’ selection gambit at Trent Bridge paid off – they will know they have a combination that works
India are notoriously slow starters in Test series and when the first ball was bowled at Trent Bridge it was easy to assume this would again be the case. Most of the players may have been in the UK since the start of June but they have seen very little action since the World Test Championship final – some travelled, some took breaks from the grind in parks and restaurants and football matches – and with only one practice game, they should have been rusty. Except, they were switched on.
Related: Moeen Ali set for England recall with Haseeb Hameed in Test reckoning
England (possible): Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Joe Root (c), Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Craig Overton, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood
India (possible): Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Chesteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah
Related: The Spin | Dom Sibley’s inertia is costing England and could lose him his place
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