The excitement around the India vs England five-match Test series grew even further as the Ben Stokes-led English squad arrived at Hyderabad on Sunday, January 21, for their first match. Coach Brendon Mccullum and the England squad arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, post their training schedule at Abu Dhabi.

The English Test side was dealt with a last minute blow when one of their star batters, Harry Brook, opted out of the series and flew back home due to personal reasons. Brook will be replaced by middle order batter and off-spinner Dan Lawrence, who was one of the reserve batters for England during the Ashes and was also a part of the side during their 2021 Test series on Indian soil.

India have not lost any of their home Tests since 2012, and beating them will set up a huge challenge for the English as they prepare for their first Test, starting Thursday, January 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The England Test side will be banking a lot on the Tests in India after a disappointing Ashes defeat last year.

Ever since the announcement of the Test series, the excitement amongst cricket fans has been ever-high with the opportunity of witnessing England’s popular Bazzball approach clash against India’s formidable squad depth. Ben Stokes and his side will also be looking to get over their recent bitter memories of the 2023 ODI World Cup, which saw them failing to defend their title as they could not even qualify for the final four.

On the other hand, Indian fans hold additional excitement about seeing their iconic players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the longest format of the game, after the two-match Test series against South Africa, earlier in January 2024, ended in a draw.