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Ahmedabad: Billed as the revenge series, India would aim to pay England back in the same coin when the two teams renew cricketing rivalry when they go into what promises to be an engrossing four-match Test rubber from Thursday.
India had suffered a humiliating 0-4 series whitewash when they had visited England in July-August last year and would like to avenge the defeat on the back of its spinners in favourable home conditions.
England have not won a Test series in India in nearly 28 years and reversing the trend would a tough job for the world number two team.
They have been suffer by the leg-injury to their 6-foot 7-inch fast bowler Steven Finn, who could trouble the Indian batsmen with his steep bounce even on the slow pitches.
Finn had little cricket under his belt since landing on the country's shores as he picked up a thigh muscle strain on the first day of their tour opening game in Mumbai.
Indian pacers Ishant Sharma is down with viral fever but he was not in the running for a place in the playing eleven ahead of Zaheer Khan and Umesh Yadav, who are likely to open the new ball attack for the home side.
India's main weapon would be the spin trio of Pragyan Ojha, Ravichandran Ashwin and veteran Harbhajan Singh, who has been included in the side after a gap of more than a year.
Indian openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir have not fired big for long, the home conditions would be relished by this very experienced duo as the new ball is not expected to do much on the re-laid Sardar Patel track.
Virat Kohli has become India's lynchpin in batting over the last few series, while Cheteshwar Pujara has the ability to either go for the shots after a good start or play the waiting game if the need is to steady the ship.
Yuvraj Singh is expected to play his first Test since the visit to England after which he underwent treatment for cancer.
England batsmen, including the recalled Kevin Pietersen, have had very good preparation for the series though they did not play against a top quality spinner.
Barring a few overs from Test discard Amit Mishra in their warm-up game against Haryana, the visitors have faced little known slow bowlers or part-timers.
The visitors have a good batting line-up led by captain Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Pietersen, Ian Bell and Samit Patel who play the turning ball well.
Cook is likely to be partnered by uncapped Nick Compton, who is in good nick, but India can take advantage of the new combination by putting the debutant under pressure.
On a turning track, England spin spearhead Graeme Swann would test the Indian batsmen. Swann is on the doorsteps of claiming 200 Test wickets.
Part-time left-arm slow bowler Patel is not expected to trouble the Indian batsmen unless the track breaks up.
Teams from
India: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Pragyan Ojha, Zaheer Khan, Ajinkya Rahane, Murali Vijay, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma and Ashok Dinda.
England: Alastair Cook (capt), Nick Compton, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan, Ian Bell, Matt Prior (wk), Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, Sturt Broad, James Anderson, Steven Finn, Samit Patel, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Graham Onions, Monty Panesar and Stuart Meaker.
Stats & trivia
Match facts
November 15-19, 2012
Start time 09:30 local (04:00 GMT)
