IND vs ENG 2021: 3 player battles to keep an eye out for at Leeds as India look to go 2-0 up

Here’s the storyline for the Test series between India and England so far:

(i) India lead the series 1-0 after a convincing 151-run win at Lord’s.

(ii) England have roped in Dawid Malan for Dom Sibley.

(iii) R Ashwin’s inclusion in the playing XI chances are still up in the air

And with these three talking points, India head into Leeds high on confidence, but still have enough creases to wrinkle out.

While much of the chatter ahead of the match starting Wednesday (August 25) will be about the above topics, the player battles (now renewed) will garner ample focus as well.

Ahead of the third Test, we take a look at some of the key player battles to look for.

#1 Moeen Ali vs Virat Kohli, India’s talismanic skipper

Bit of a switch-up here as Moeen Ali has dismissed India’s skipper five times in Tests. With Virat Kohli not exactly setting the tournament on fire with big runs, Ali will relish the prospect of facing Kohli.

Another dismissal would mean he ties in with James Anderson as the bowler to have dismissed Kohli six times in the format.

#2 Jasprit Bumrah vs James Anderson

The clash between the bowlers was what made the Lord’s Test spicier and Bumrah did enough to get on Anderson’s nerves with a barrage of bouncers. England’s bowlers didn’t hold back when they dished out the same treatment to Bumrah with some generous doses of verbal volleys.

The war, though, seems to have not ended and rest assured there could be more fireworks expected if the duo end up bowling to each other.

#3 Joe Root vs Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja has had a quiet series with the ball so far, but he is one of Joe Root’s arch-nemesis in Tests. The spinner has dismissed the English captain five times (the other bowler with the same number of dismissals being Ashwin) and will look to have a go against an in-form Root.

With scores of 64, 109, 33 and 180* and 33, Root has been one England’s savior and has negated the Jadeja threat. Only time will tell if the tweaker can make it six against Root as India look to go 2-0.