England start their five-Test series against India later this month as they look to continue their fine form, and you can follow all of the action exclusively on the talkSPORT network.
Ben Stokes’ men haven’t played any Test cricket since the final match of the Ashes last summer.
England drew the series 2-2, which meant that the Aussies retained the urn.
However, it would have almost certainly been an England win had the weather not spoiled the party.
So the visitors head to India feeling good about their Test cricket and will be hoping to get off to the perfect start.
India vs England first Test: Date and start time
The first Test of this series will start on Thursday, January 25 and will run until Monday, January 29.
Action will get going from 4am UK time each day.
The Test is being helf at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
India vs England: talkSPORT coverage
talkSPORT has exclusive audio rights for England’s entire tour of India.
We will have ball-by-ball coverage of every day across the talkSPORT network.
Our expert commentary team is yet to be confirmed, but we will have that information in due course.
talkSPORT.com will also have all of the reaction from India across the series.
To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream. You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
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India vs England first Test: Team news
The visitors have named a 16-man squad for the trip to India.
There are three uncapped players – Gus Atkinson, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir.
Vice-captain Ollie Pope and Jack Leach return from injuries which ruined their summers last year.
Ben Foakes, widely considered to be England’s best wicketkeeper, is also back in the squad and will hope to get the nod in the opener, which could see Jonny Bairstow move up or down the order.
India are yet to announce their squad after just completing a short tour of South Africa, but it’s likely to be a similar team.
So Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah are all likely to be involved.
England: Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley,
Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.
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India vs England first Test: What has been said?
talkSPORT pundit and former fast bowler Steve Harmison isn’t a fan of England’s proposed preparations for the tour of India.
Speaking on the Following On Podcast, he said: “If England go in three days before, they deserve to get beat 5-0. They really do.
“I’m an old man and that’s what they’re going to say ‘times have changed’. But preparation hasn’t changed. You cannot go into India over-prepared, you could be in India for six weeks and still not be prepared for that first Test and the emotion of that cauldron.
“You talk about [Kevin] Pietersen, [Andrew] Strauss, and [Alastair] Cook – this great side that won there in 2012 – what would they think if you’d have told them we were going in three days before?
“They’d have laughed at you.
“I love the new approach with Ben Stokes, Brendan McCullum, and Rob Key and everything the ECB has done.
“But I’m sorry, you’d never go to an Ashes series three days before. You’d never go to Australia three days before the Gabba. Why go three days before Hyderabad? For me, it stinks.
“It’s not the new world, it’s player power. They are backing down to the players.”
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