England's strongest playing 11 for Test series vs India

England's selectors, on Monday, December 11, announced a 16-member strong contingent for their marquee five-match Test tour of India that is set to commence towards the end of January in Hyderabad.

The Ben Stokes-led outfit have three uncapped players as part of the touring party, with seamer Gus Atkinson and spinners Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir comprising the same.

Although the rest of the squad wears a familiar look, Chris Woakes, who was England's Player of the Series at the Ashes earlier this year, was a surprise exclusion possibly owing to his modest Test numbers away from home.

Stokes is currently recovering from a knee surgery and while he is expected to pass fit for the Tests, there is a cloud over how much bowling he can undertake - if at all he does.

England squad for five-match Test series in India: Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes (wk), Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.

While the squad England covers all bases, defeating India in their backyard has proven to be the Achilles heel for visiting teams over the years. Incidentally, the last team to have succeeded in this regard is England, with Sir Alastair Cook's men triumphing by a 2-1 margin across four Tests in 2012.

England have adopted a cavalier approach to Test cricket ever since Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum took over the reins of the setup. Will 'Bazball' succeed on Indian soil? That is the question on the minds of a lot of pundits and fans.

On that note, here's a look at what we think is England's strongest playing XI for the Test series in India that commences on January 25, 2024.

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Openers - Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett

Since the tour of Pakistan a year ago, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett have combined to form an effective partnership that has far from blunted the new ball, deciding to smash it out of shape instead with their aggressive intent.

The relentless backing of Crawley reaped rewards for England as he tallied 480 runs in the Ashes to emerge as the team's highest run-scorer. Duckett's second coming in Tests after a tough initiation in the subcontinent in 2016 has seen him develop as a consistent player as an average of 43.12 would indicate.

Both batters have played two Tests each in India but seem better equipped this time around. Facing the threat of Ravichandran Ashwin with the new ball is a different kettle of fish altogether and it remains to be seen as to how they cope.

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Middle order - Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), and Ben Foakes (wk)

Vice-captain Ollie Pope will lead the way at No. 3 as far as England's middle order is concerned. Since his elevation to that number, Pope has averaged 45.25 with a strike rate of 77.84 signifying how he has bought into the Bazball approach without a fuss.

Pope endured a tough time in India in 2021 but with more experience, he is expected to come up trumps a lot better this time. England's most pivotal component though remains Joe Root, whose record in India reiterates why he is one of the finest players of spin of this generation. He averages 50.10 in 10 Tests in the country, tallying 952 runs along the way.

Harry Brook's start to his Test career has been a rather magnificent one as he currently averages 62.15 after 12 games in the format. This is certainly bound to be his biggest baptism by fire though with his shortcomings against spin surfacing during the IPL. Having said that, his knock against Afghanistan on a tacky pitch at the World Cup was a sign that he has put in work in that regard.

Skipper Stokes has enjoyed a good run with the bat in 2023 having scored 515 runs in the format at an average of 39.61. His experience and ability to absorb pressure will be of paramount importance while his innovative field settings are bound to grab eyeballs throughout the five Tests.

While it remains to be seen as to how fit he will be to bowl, England will hope he can deliver some overs when required else a lot of that burden might fall on Root's shoulders.

Ben Foakes was mighty impressive with the bat and the wicketkeeping gloves in India in 2021 while Jonny Bairstow, who is the incumbent wicketkeeper, endured a forgettable tour having bagged three ducks across four Test innings.

Bairstow's struggles were on display at the Ashes despite a brilliant run of form with the bat last year and his wicket-keeping also left plenty to be desired. On tracks that are expected to turn, Foakes' ability to play the ball late and a superior game against spin - apart from being one of the best wicketkeepers in the world - ideally ought to give him the nod.

While the visitors may throw their weight behind Bairstow, Foakes must be given the nod.

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Bowlers - Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Mark Wood, and James Anderson

Expect England to pick at least two frontline spinners for the five Tests in India, a result of which Ollie Robinson may have to miss the bus. Having said that, with Mark Wood's workload always having to be managed with care and James Anderson not getting any younger, the seamers might just be rotated around throughout the series.

Anderson's experience and ability to get the ball to reverse should see him lead the bowling attack. His numbers in India make for excellent reading too, having bagged 34 wickets in 13 Tests at 29.32 apiece. Wood's extra velocity and reverse-swinging capability bring him in as a point-of-difference bowler and he could have a massive say in how England fare in the series.

Among the many spin options that England have picked, Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed ought to make the cut for the first Test. Leach, who missed the Ashes series with injury, got progressively better during the 2021 series and for long has been England's first-choice spinner in Tests.

Wrist-spinner Rehan was fast-tracked into the Test squad for the tour of Pakistan but showed just why with a five-wicket haul on debut. He hasn't played a game in the format since then but his control and variations, apart from the ability to possibly extract quick turn, make him a highly useful option. He also lengthens the batting lineup at number 8.

With Leach and Rehan complementing Root's right-arm off-spin, it gives England a well-rounded attack for the five Tests even as Hartley and Bashir remain options to fall back on if required.

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England's strongest playing 11 for India Tests: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Foakes (wk), Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Mark Wood, James Anderson.

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What would be your preferred playing XI for England as they embark on a five-Test tour of India? Have your say in the comments section below!