For once, Stokes is not the biggest box-office draw. India’s Jasprit Bumrah is the leading cricketer on the planet right now, compiling a career that will stack up against any fast bowler to have played the game. How England survive his staccato approach and educated fingers will go a long way to deciding the series.
Every spell from Bumrah – and he may only play three Tests – will be must-watch, just like the middle-order pyrotechnics of India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. England spinner Shoaib Bashir will have to hold his nerve when Pant attempts to hit him out of Yorkshire.
Bumrah and Pant are familiar faces in an unfamiliar India side, led for the first time by Shubman Gill. After the retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin, India are evolving, albeit with no shortage of talent from their vast reserves.
The absence of Kohli in particular means there is a little less stardust, though not necessarily a diminished chance of India success. Kohli’s returns in Test cricket had gradually dropped up to his retirement last month and the jury is out on whether India are weaker without him. They never won a series in this country with him in the team.
It is that difficulty for visiting teams to win here – India have not done so since 2007 – that has England starting as favourites to complete the first part of what would be an epic double.
For all of the highs of the Stokes-McCullum regime – and there have been plenty – they are still to tick off victory in a marquee five-Test series.
A comparison can be made to a decade ago, when England last held simultaneous sway over India and Australia. Back then, their cricket under coach Andy Flower was notoriously dry, the dressing room mentality rarely shifting from siege. Yet, they were winners.
This England team can have it all. The entertainment, the glory, even the golf.
For the Old Trafford rain and Stuart Broad’s bails. For Jonny Bairstow’s runs and Jonny Bairstow’s broken leg. For Moeen Ali’s finger and Ollie Robinson’s podcast. For Dan Lawrence opening the batting and 823-7 in Multan. For Joe Root’s records and Mark Wood’s rockets. For Bazball.
This is it.
