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 Michael Vaughan (captain) - The 31 year -
old middle order batsman faces his toughest
challenge since he guided his team to the Ashes
victory last summer. If he is dreaming of taking
his side to the number one position in Test
cricket, then a series victory in India is a must,
as their next series on Asian soil will come only
after two winters. His captaincy skills apart,
England need him to perform as a batsman, which is
something he didn't do in Pakistan a few months
ago.
Tests - 64 , Runs - 4595 , Hs - 197 , Avg - 42.94 , Ct - 37 . ODIs - 74 ,
Runs - 1730 , Hs - 90* , Avg - 28.36 , Ct - 20 .
Ian Bell - The right-handed batsman loved
the low bounce of Pakistani pitches. He now faces a
daunting task against the spin duo of Anil Kumble
and Harbhajan Singh. Rated as the best 16 year-old
player some time back, the 23 - year - old
Warwickshire batsman struggled against the spin of
Shane Warne last year. But he went on to show great
determination and fighting qualities in the series
against Pakistan.
Tests - 11, Runs - 781 , Hs - 162* , Avg - 45.94 , Ct - 14 . ODIs - 10 ,
Runs - 226 , Hs - 75 , Avg - 37.66 , Ct - 2 .
Paul Collingwood - He is more suited to
instant cricket than the traditional form. The 29
year - old Durham player displayed immense skill
and technique while facing the spinners in
Pakistan, and his shot-selection was impressive.
His fielding is a plus-point for his inclusion in
the final eleven.
Tests - 5 , Runs - 295 , Hs - 96 , Avg - 29.50 , Ct - 7 , ODIs - 85 ,
Runs - 1791 , Hs - 112* , Avg - 31.98 , Ct - 44 .
Andrew Flintoff - England's success on this
tour will largely depend on how this quality
all-rounder performs. The 28 year - old made a
lasting impression in the Ashes series. His ability
to produce devastating spells will be tested on
Indian pitches against a strong batting line-up. He
is the best all-rounder in contemporary cricket.
Tests - 59 , Runs - 2816 , Hs - 167 , Avg - 32.36 , Wkts -163 , Avg -
31.51 ,
Ct - 37 , ODIs - 98 , Runs - 2601 , Hs - 123 , Avg - 35.14 , Wkts - 104 ,
Avg - 25.87 , Ct - 32 .
Steve Harmison - The lanky right - arm fast
bowler will need to work hard on Indian wickets to
produce bounce that will unsettle top-order
batsmen. The 27 - year- old Durham player struggled
in Pakistan, and that will be a worrying factor for
the team management.
Tests - 39 , Runs - 377 , Hs - 42 , Avg - 10.18 , Wkts - 154 , Avg - 28.71
,
Ct - 5 . ODIs - 38 , Runs - 55 , Hs - 13* , Avg - 7.85 , Wkts - 53 ,
Avg - 30.83 , Ct - 8 .
Matthew Hoggard - The 29 year-old
Yorkshireman has to reproduce his tight bowling of
the recent past to be successful in Indian
conditions. His ability to swing the cherry in both
directions might play a vital role in the series.
He will be a key member of England's pace quartet.
Tests - 48 , Runs - 323 , Hs - 38 , Avg - 8.07 , Wkts - 184 , Avg - 30.07
,
Ct - 18 , ODIs - 24 , Runs -10 , Hs -5 , Avg - 3.33 , Wkts -32 , Avg -
32.31 ,
Ct -3 .
Geraint Jones - Born in Papua New Guinea,
the 29 - year-old wicketkeeper -cum - right -
handed batsman has come of age. Although he has
fumbled on many occasions behind the stumps, he has
played some crucial and vital innings in front of
them.
Tests - 23 , Runs -952 , Hs - 100 , Avg - 29.75 , Ct -82 , St -3 , ODIs -
38 ,
Runs - 565 , Hs - 80 , Avg - 23.54, Ct - 58 , St -3 .
Simon Jones - The 27 year -old Glamorgan
player is pivotal. If he and his right ankle are
fit enough, his ability to generate reverse-swing
from an old ball will give England a huge
advantage. He played a crucial role in England's
triumphant Ashes series.
Tests - 18 , Runs - 205 , Hs - 44 , Avg - 15.76 , Ct - 4 , Wkts - 59 ,
Avg - 28.23 , ODIs -8 , Runs 1 , Hs - 1 , Avg -1.00 , Ct - 0 , Wkts - 7 ,
Avg - 39.26 .
Kevin Pietersen - Born in Natal, the 25
year-old has superbly graduated from one - day
cricket to Test cricket. He has played one of the
best Test innings of all time - 158 in the final
Test of the 2005 Ashes series. The explosive
middle-order batsman will play a critical role in
combating the Indian spin duo of Kumble and
Harbhajan.
Tests - 8 , Runs - 674 , Hs - 158 , Avg - 44.93 , Ct -3 , ODIs -25 ,
Runs -888 , Hs - 116 , Avg - 68.30 , Ct - 15.
Liam Plunkett - Like his Durham teammate
Harmison , Plunkett 'hits the deck' hard. He did
everything that could have been asked of a
20-year-old bowling at 80 mph in Pakistan, but how
he will adjust to Indian conditions remains to be
seen. A useful batsman as well.
Tests-1 , Runs - 9 , Hs- 9 , Avg -4.50 , Wkts - 2 , Avg - 62.50 , Ct -1 ,
ODIs -5 ,
Runs -94 , Hs - 56 , Avg - 31.33 , Ct - 1 , Wkts -7 , Avg - 37.85 .
Matt Prior - He moved from South Africa to
England. The 24 year - old is understudy to keeper
Geraint Jones. He is yet to play Test cricket, and
has displayed his batting rather than keeping
skills in his brief ODI career.
ODIs - 6 , Runs -129,Hs - 45 , Avg - 21.50 , Ct-1 .
Monty Panesar - If Ashley Giles fails to
recover from his recurring injury, " Monty " will
become the only spinner in the team who can win a
Test on his own. He hasn't yet played a Test or ODI.
Ian Blackwell - A slow left-arm orthodox
bowler from Derbyshire, the 27-year-old is yet to
make his Test debut. He hasn't impressed much with
his bowling in 28 ODIs. He is an effective
lower-order batsman.
ODIs- 28 , Runs - 344 , Hs - 82 , Avg - 15.63 , Ct - 5 , Wkts - 19 , Avg -
34.05
Shaun Udal - The oldest member of the team
at 36 years. This Hampshire player has failed to
live up to expectations in his brief international
career as his record suggests. His Hampshire career
was similar until Shane Warne became his captain.
Can he take advantage of Indian conditions?
Tests - 3 , Runs - 86 , Hs - 33* , Avg -21.50 , Wkts-3 , Avg - 92.33 ,
ct-1 ,
ODIs - 11 , Runs - 35 , Hs - 11* , Avg - 11.66 , Wkts - 9 , Avg - 44.44 ,
Ct -1
Andrew Strauss - A successful opening
batsman , the 29 year - old Middlesex player will
play a crucial role for England. His aggregate of
44 runs in four Test innings in Pakistan was more
the result of post - Ashes sadness and apprehension
against spin.
Tests - 21 , Runs -1760 , Hs - 147 , Avg - 46.31 , Ct - 26 , ODIs - 44 ,
Runs - 1371 , Hs - 152 , Avg - 37.05 , Ct - 11 .
Marcus Trescothick - The 30-year - old
Somerset batsman is the vice-captain. He has scored
seven of his 13 test hundreds against Asian
opposition. His presence was vital at the top of
the order and his decision to return to England for
'personal reasons' is a huge blow to the team.
Tests - 69 , Runs - 5502 , Hs - 219 , Avg - 45.47 , Ct - 81 , ODIs - 114 ,
Runs -3923 , Hs - 137 , Avg - 36.66 , Ct - 47
James Anderson - The 23 year - old medium
fast bowler of immense talent, did well in the 2003
World Cup, but waned subsequently and struggled to
cement his place in the final eleven. The quickish
bowler from Lancashire took five wickets in his
debut Test innings and registered a coveted hat
trick (the first by an English bowler) in ODIs.
Tests - 12 , Runs - 68 , Hs - 21* , Avg - 17.00 , Ct - 4 , Wkt - 35 ,
Avg - 36.39, ODIs - 44 , Runs - 52 , Hs - 11 , Avg - 5.77 , Ct - 9 ,
Wkt - 66 , Avg - 25.50
Alastair Cook - The 21 year - old
left-handed batsman from Gloucestershire is yet to
play international cricket. He led England in the
Under - 19 World Cup a couple of years ago. He has
appeared in 36 first-class matches so far. It
remains to be seen how he will cope with Indian
conditions.
Owais Shah :
The Karachi- born 27-year-old Owais Shah is the
latest member to be inducted in the injury - hit
squad. The right - handed middle order batsman is
yet to play Test cricket. He has appeared in 15 one
- day internationals with limited success. He plays
for Middlesex and has so far played as many as 149
first-class matches.
ODIs - 15 , Runs - 283 , Hs - 62 , Avg - 21.76 , Ct -6 |