The Kings of Chepauk: How India has the sting over England in Chennai

With an eye fixed at Lords, which is able to host the ultimate of the World Test Championship in June, India will tackle England within the first of a four-match sequence at Chennai’s Chepauk on Friday. Both groups will go to battle on the again of away sequence victories within the longest format of the sport. While an injury-hit however feisty India posted a sensational 2-1 win to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Joe Root’s England gained 2-0 in opposition to Sri Lanka.
Before the motion begins, right here’s a have a look at how these two groups have fared in Tests on the Chepauk.
Home benefit
India has loved a good bit of success on the venue the place it achieved its first-ever residence victory over England in 1952, by an innings and eight runs.
Currently, the hosts maintain a slight edge over the Three Lions at Chepauk, successful 5 of the 9 Tests performed on the venue. England have gained three, with one match ending in a draw.
Overall, Team India enjoys a formidable observe file on the Chepauk, successful 14 Tests out of a complete of 32 hosted by town. It has solely misplaced six Tests, with 11 ending in attracts and one in an exhilarating tie.
The hosts have historically loved batting on the Chennai strip, with the very best whole recorded on the MA Chidambaram stadium being 759/7 (declared) in opposition to Alistair Cook’s England in December 2016. England’s highest at this stadium is 652 for 7 (declared) in 1985, whereas it fell to its lowest of 159 in 1973.
India are on prime at Chepauk. (Express Illustration)
Last outing
Last time England visited Indian shores in 2016, the hosts, led by Virat Kohli, hammered the Three Lions to register a 4-0 sequence sweep. China performed host to the ultimate Test of the five-match sequence, which noticed India successful by an innings and 75 runs. Karnataka batsman Karun Nair scored a debut triple hundred whereas KL Rahul stroked his strategy to 199, in a run-feast. Nair fell out of favour with the nationwide selectors since his heroics on the Chepauk.
Also, on their final go to, it was the Indian spinners who turned it the hosts’ manner in opposition to the clueless Englishmen, with a mixed haul of 68 wickets at an of 30.35. Their English counterparts fell 20 quick within the wickets tally.
Spinning all-rounder Moeen Ali is the one one in all three gradual bowlers in England’s present touring get together to have earlier expertise of taking part in on Indian pitches. While Ali was part of the 2016-’17 squad and likewise seems for his franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore within the Indian Premier League (IPL), off-spinner Dom Bess and slow-let armer Jack Leach have by no means toured India earlier than.
England haven’t gained on the Chepauk in 30 years. But so hadn’t Australia for 32 years on the Gabba in Brisbane earlier than India, led by stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane, normal a win for the ages. Can Root encourage his prices to an analogous feat within the first of the 2 Tests in Chennai? Time will inform.
TEST HEAD-TO-HEAD
Matches: 122India wins: 26England wins: 47Draws: 49Tied: 0
LAST THREE SERIES
2018: England beat India 4-1 in England2016-17: India beat England 4-0 in India2014: England beat India 3-1 in England
INDIA
World rating: 2Top-ranked batsman: Virat Kohli (4)Top-ranked bowler: Ravichandran Ashwin (8)
ENGLAND
World rating: 4Top-ranked batsman: Joe Root (5)Top-ranked bowler: Stuart Broad (2)
SCHEDULE
First Test: Feb. 5-9, ChennaiSecond Test: Feb. 13-17, ChennaiThird Test: Feb. 24-28, AhmedabadFourth Test: March 4-8, Ahmedabad