ENG vs IND, Edgbaston Test: Records which can be scripted
England and India would clash in the rescheduled fifth Test from the 2021 series (Edgbaston), starting July 1. The hosts, who are 2-1 behind, would aim to restore parity under Ben Stokes. Meanwhile, India will begin their away campaign in the leadership of Rohit Sharma. Several stars including Virat Kohli and Joe Root eye a number of milestones. Here are the stats.
India will play their first away Test (at Edgbaston) after Kohli stepped down as captain. The former Indian skipper would look to regain his Midas touch in the solitary Test. Kohli (1,960) is 40 runs short of becoming just the third Indian with 2,000 Test runs against England. Sachin Tendulkar (2,535) and Sunil Gavaskar (2,483) are the only Indians with this feat so far.
Kohli presently has the joint-third-most centuries against England in Test cricket (5) along with Cheteshwar Pujara and Dilip Vengsarkar. He could emulate Mohammad Azharuddin in this regard (6). The top spot is jointly occupied by Rahul Dravid and Tendulkar (7 each).
At Edgbaston, Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (242) could become just the second Indian left-arm spinner with 250 Test wickets. Bishan Singh Bedi is the only Indian to have achieved this feat so far (266). Jadeja's compatriot R Ashwin is just eight away from completing 450 wickets in Test cricket. The latter would become the second-ever Indian after Anil Kumble (619) to unlock this achievement.
Ashwin could become India's highest wicket-taker against England in Test cricket. He owns 88 scalps at an average of 28.59 against them in the format. Ashwin is only behind BS Chandrasekhar (92) and Kumble (95).
Earlier this year, former England captain Joe Root became the 14th cricketer to complete 10,000 runs in Test cricket. He slammed his 27th Test ton in the second game against New Zealand. Root now has the joint-most Test centuries among active cricketers with Steven Smith and Virat Kohli. He could surpass the duo to completely own the record.
Last year, Root broke Alastair Cook's record of most Test centuries against India. The former slammed his eighth Test century against the Indians, the joint-most along with Ricky Ponting, Vivian Richards, Steven Smith, and Garry Sobers. Root could go the extra mile this time.
