England will be arriving to India to participate in the four Test series and the hosts will try their best to pay the visitors back by clinching the home series.

The team India will be lead by MS Dhoni and Alastair Cook will be the new jubilant captain of England in the 2012-13 series.

The first ever Test between the two countries was played on June 25, 27 and 28, 1932, at Lord’s, London. Douglas Jardine led England while the Indian squad was headed by C.K.Nayudu. It was a historical match for India since that was the beginning of Test cricket for the country.

Scores

England 1^st innings – 259 runs , Douglas Jardine 79, LEG Ames 65, Mohammad Nissar 5-93, CK Nayudu 2-40.

India 1^st innings – 189 runs , CK Nayudu 40, Naoomal Jaoomal 33, Syed Wazir Ali 31, Bill Bowes 4-49, Bill Voce 3-23.

England 2^nd innings – 8-275 declared, Jardine 85*, Eddide Paynter 54, Walter Robins 30, Jahangir Khan 4-60, Amar Singh 2-84.

India 2^nd innings – 187, Amar Singh 51, Syed Wazir Ali 39, Lall Singh 29, Wally Hammond 3-9, Bill Voce 2-28.

Result – England won by 158 runs. 

The last Test was held at Kennington Oval, London, on August 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22, 2011. MS Dhoni was the skipper of India and Andrew Strauss led the English team which won the match by a huge margin of an innings and 8 runs. India was humiliated in the entire series which was lost by them 0-4 and they were unable to impress as their top class batting line up surrendered to the lethal bowling attack of England.

Both countries have played 103 Tests before the current series, England has the edge by winning 38 whereas India was successful in 19 and 46 matches ended in a draw. India will be anticipating revenge from the tourists at their home grounds supported by their own crowd. We will highlight the 2008-09, home series played in India between the two nations.

1^st Test at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, played on December 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, 2008.

Scores

England 1^st innings  –  316 runs, Andrew Strauss 123, Matt Prior 53*, Alastair Cook 52, Harbhajan Singh 3-96 and Amit Mishra 3-99.

India 1^st innings  –   241 runs, MS Dhoni 53, Harbhajan Singh 40, Andrew Flintoff 3-49 and Monty Panesar 3-65.

England 2^nd innings  –  9-311 declared, Andrew Strauss 108, Paul Collingwood 108, Zaheer Khan 3-40 and Ishant Sharma 3-57.

India 2^nd innings  –  4-387, Sachin Tendulkar 103*, Yuvraj Singh 85, Virender Sehwag 83, Gautam Gambhir 66, Graeme Swann 2-103.

Player of the match – Virender Sehwag (India)

Result – India won by 6 wickets.

2^nd Test played at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh, on December 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 2008.

Scores

India 1^st innings – 453, Gautam Gambhir 179, Rahul Dravid 136, Andrew Flintoff 3-54, Graeme Swann 3-122.

England 1^st innings – 302, Kevin Pietersen 144, Andrew Flintoff 62, Cook 50, Harbhajan Singh 4-68, Zaheer Khan 3-76.

India 2^nd innings – 7-251 declared, Gambhir 97, Yuvraj Singh 86, Monty Panesar 1-44, Swann 1-49.

England 2^nd innings  – 1-64, Ian Bell 24*, Strauss 21*, Ishant Sharma 1-7.

Player of the match – Gautam Gambhir (India)

Player of the series –  Zaheer Khan (India). He was the highest wicket taker by holding 8 wickets in the two Test series at an excellent average of 21.00 with the best of 3-40 in an innings and 5-81 in a match.

Result – match drawn, India won the series 1-0

The first Test of the series will commence on November 15, 2012, at Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad.