England vs India, Headingley Test: Key player matchups
What's the story
England and India are set to clash in the first of the five-Test series at Headingley, Leeds, starting June 20.
Under the captaincy of Ben Stokes, the England side looks strong on paper despite losing some senior players.
On the other hand, Shubman Gill will lead a young Indian team.
The match promises some exciting individual matchups. Here are a few to watch out for.
#1
Joe Root vs Jasprit Bumrah
The long-standing battle between England batter Joe Root and Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah will renew in Leeds.
Over the years, Root and Bumrah have locked horns in 24 Test innings. As per ESPNcricinfo, the Indian pacer has dismissed Root as many as nine times in the format.
The former England skipper has racked up 286 runs off 559 balls against Bumrah, averaging 31.77.
Information
Third-most dismissals against Root
As per ESPNcricinfo, only two bowlers other than Bumrah have dismissed Root more often in Test cricket. While Australia's Pat Cummins leads the tally with 11 dismissals, his compatriot Josh Hazlewood has dismissed Root 10 times.
#2
Ben Stokes vs Ravindra Jadeja
The battle between England captain Ben Stokes and India's seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is always close.
They have faced each other in 19 Test innings so far, with Stokes managing to score only 125 runs at an average of just 20.83 against Jadeja's bowling.
Jadeja has dismissed him on six occasions in these encounters.
Meanwhile, Jadeja has fallen to Stokes, the bowler, thrice in the format.
#3
KL Rahul vs Chris Woakes
The experienced KL Rahul will be a key player for Team India in the impending series. He will be expected to step up after the exit of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
On the other hand, England's bowling attack will be led by Chris Woakes. The early swing could trouble Rahul.
The two players have clashed four times so far, with Rahul managing 34 runs and being dismissed once by Woakes.