COC World XI that could beat India at home in Tests

Here are the eleven players who could challenge the Indian side in their own den in Test matches.

By Jatin Sharma - 14 Oct, 2019

Indian team has won 11 straight Test series in India since 2012/13 | AP

Indian team recently registered their 11^th consecutive Test series win at home, eclipsing the record set by the Australian team in their own den twice. The Indian side last lost a Test series at home in 2012/13 to England under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, while Virat Kohli has registered Test series wins over Sri Lanka, West Indies, Australia, England and now South Africa amongst other teams.

This time it was Virat Kohli, who led from the front with 254* in Pune Test and as India won the Test by an innings and 137 runs, pocketed the series 2-0 with one match to go in Ranchi. These dominant performances from the home side have led to many experts wondering which team or which group of players, who might be banded together, can take on this side and defeat them in their own den.

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Therefore, Team COC, after a long discussion, came together with a band of eleven players who have a good record in India against India and may help defeat the home side in their own den in Tests.

Openers: Dean Elgar and Dimuth Karunaratne

Dean Elgar and Dimuth Karunaratne

As far as openers go Dean Elgar and Dimuth Karunaratne are the best bet to bank upon when it comes to performances in India or against India in subcontinent conditions. Dean Elgar scored a brilliant 160 in the first Test of the ongoing series in Vizag, though he hasn’t done anything of notice since then, apart from 48 in the second innings of the second Test.

Karunaratne, on the other hand, has an excellent record against India with 750 runs in 8 Tests with 2 centuries and the highest score of 164. He has one half-century against India in India with 91 runs in 3 matches, but given how he has made Sri Lanka a force in Test cricket, even outside the home conditions. He is the best bet given in the current form.

Middle Order: Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, Joe Root

Kane Williamson, Steve Smith and Joe Root

Steve Smith has the best record by an Australian against India in India with 660 runs at an average of 60 and 3 centuries to his name with the best of 178*. His best outing came in the 2017 Test series, which was played on challenging pitches which took sharp turn and bounce and Smith played amazingly well on those surfaces.

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Kane Williamson, on the other hand, has played 4 Tests and scored 249 runs in India, which doesn’t show how well he has evolved into an all-round performer with the bat. He recently helped the Kiwis draw level against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, a big feat for any non-subcontinent team to do.

Joe Root, who is considered to be a part of the new fab four of the current generation, has 584 runs in 6 Tests with one century and five fifties to his name. Root was their best batsman apart from Cook when England beat India in Test series in 2012/13 which was the last time India lost at home.

Lower Order: Ben Stokes, Mushfiqur Rahim

Ben Stokes and Mushfiqur Rahim

Ben Stokes played 5 Tests against India in 2016 and made 345 runs with one century and one half-century to his name. He also picked 8 wickets with a best of 5/73. The all-rounder has turned his game up a notch with his amazing performances in Ashes 2019 and his experience playing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL will come in handy.

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Mushfiqur Rahim knows how to play spin on Indian tracks and keep wickets on vicious turning and bouncing tracks given that he does the same thing on Bangladesh tracks. Bangladesh has played one solitary Test in India and Rahim score a century in that match. He is set to be part of the upcoming two-Test tour of India and will play a big role in his home side.

Spinners: Shakib Al Hasan, Nathan Lyon

Shakib Al Hasan and Nathan Lyon

It is criminal to put Shakib Al Hasan in this category given that he is a true all-rounder in the sense of the term. He has 260 runs and 15 wickets in Tests against India, but he is a class player wherever he plays and will be a tough opponent for India to tackle in the upcoming series against Bangladesh.

Nathan Lyon has 34 wickets in 7 Tests for Australia in India and this includes his brilliant 8/50 in Bengaluru. He is amazing in subcontinent wickets which offer spin and bounce and has made the best of the best Indian batsmen dance to his tunes and is a formidable foe for the mighty Indian team.

Fast bowlers: Jofra Archer, Pat Cummins

Jofra Archer and Pat Cummins

Jofra Archer is yet to play in Tests against India, but whatever he has done in his debut Test series against Australia recently, is enough of evidence what he might do when England comes knocking on Indian soil. He has enough experience with his stint in the Indian Premier League for Rajasthan Royals to exploit the conditions here.

Pat Cummins returned to Test cricket after a long hiatus against India in 2017 in harsh conditions. He bowled his heart out in two of the four Tests and picked 8 wickets, proved his fitness by bowling long spells and hasn’t looked back since. He was also brilliant when India toured Australia in 2018/19 and was their best bowler despite Australia losing the series.

These XI players have the guile, skill, and heart to give the mighty Virat Kohli-led side a run for their money in home conditions in the longer format of the game for which they have a wonderful plan of succeeding in.

COC picked World XI:
Dean Elgar, Dimuth Karunaratne, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson (C), Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Mushfiqur Rahim (WK), Shakib Al Hasan, Pat Cummins, Jofra Archer, Nathan Lyon

COC World XI that could beat India at home in Tests

Here are the eleven players who could challenge the Indian side in their own den in Test matches.

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