England cricket team arrives in Chennai for series against India

Chennai, January 27: The England cricket team and staff arrived in Chennai on Wednesday (January 27) for the Test series against India. The first and second Test will be played in Chennai, with the first match beginning February 5. The squad led by Joe Root will be going under a mandatory six-day quarantine period as per COVID-19 protocol.

Ben Stokes, Rory Burns, and Jofra Archer arrived in Chennai on Monday and they have already begun their quarantine period. On Monday, England had defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the second Test to win the series 2-0. Root was awarded both Man of the Match and Series for his impeccable form with the bat.

Stokes arrived in India with the other members of the squad who were not a part of the Sri Lanka series. The practice for the full squad will commence for the first time on Tuesday -- February 2.

Meanwhile, Jonny Bairstow was left out of the 16-man squad for the first two Tests in India while openers Zack Crawley and Dom Sibley are part of that squad. The national selectors have rested Bairstow, Sam Curran, and Mark Wood for the first and second Tests in India.

Under the leadership of Joe Root, England (/will be looking to show a spirited performance to bolster their chances of making it to the finals of the World Test Championship in June.

England squad for first two Tests against India: Joe Root (Yorkshire) (captain), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Dom Bess (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).

India and England are set to lock horns in four Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is. After the first two Tests, both teams will move to Ahmedabad for the remaining two Tests and the five T20Is.