The crucial five-match Test series which may decide for both teams whether they will be in a strong position to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final will begin on January 25 in Hyderabad. In the Test series, some records may be in danger as veterans from both teams fight it out in the longest format of the game
Here is a list of four massive records that may be broken –
1. Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar holds the record for most Test appearances in India versus England encounters. Gavaskar has played 38 Tests. England’s 41-year-old workhorse James Anderson has a chance to break the record held by ‘Little Master’ for more than 37 years. Anderson has played a total of 35 Tests against India and is likely to go past Gavaskar until and unless spin-friendly pitches force England team management to bench him or the fast bowler picks up an injury.
2. Another legendary Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for most runs in India versus England encounters. Tendulkar has scored 2,535 runs from 32 Tests at an average of 51.73 including seven centuries and 13 fifties. Joe Root is 10 runs away from breaking the Master Blaster's record. He has scored 2,526 runs from 25 Tests at an average of 63.15 including nine centuries and 10 half-centuries. This record is likely to be broken by Root in Hyderabad itself.
3. Legendary Indian spinner Bhagwath Chandrasekhar holds the record for most five-wicket hauls in India versus England Test cricket history. Chandrasekhar has eight five-wicket hauls from 23 Tests. Currently, Ravichandran Ashwin and Anderson have six five-wicket hauls each. Given the nature of pitches in India, Ashwin is more likely to equal or break Chandrasekhar's record which has stood for more than 44 years.
4. There is one record in the list that may not be broken in this Test series. If the pitch curators only prepare turning tracks it will be tough to break. Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell hold the record for highest partnership between the two sides. They shared a 350-run stand for the third wicket at The Oval in August 2011. If one of the pitches is batting-friendly, the record may be in danger especially considering England’s ‘Bazball’ approach.
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