India v England - Series Preview

England enter into their first tour of India at the head of the new ATG rankings, and despite failing to wrest the Ashes away from Australia they enter the series as marginal favourites in most people's eyes. It promises to be a tough trip though, especially with the prospect of an additional Test in Sri Lanka after the Indian leg, and Len Hutton's squad will surely be in for a stern test from their hosts. Fred Trueman fails to make the touring party after his unproductive Ashes series, but Ian Botham is retained after an equally low key set of performances. Denis Compton's comeback continues at the expense of David Gower, and Tony Lock is handed a much belated recall after winning his only cap way back in the very first ATG series of all, some 43 England Tests ago.

India have developed into a most capable unit, as recent drawn series with South Africa and Australia would suggest, and expectations are extraordinarily high amongst the home fans. A series win of any magnitude would take the Indians above Australia and into fourth in the rankings, and if that were to happen Indian cricket would be in its strongest position ever in ATG history. All is then to play for, as they say, and England's first foray into the Indian subcontinent gets underway with a warm-up match in Jalandhar before the first Test in Mohali.

England Squad
L Hutton (c), WR Hammond (v/c), LEG Ames, KF Barrington, AV Bedser, IT Botham, DCS Compton, MC Cowdrey, TG Evans, JB Hobbs, JC Laker, H Larwood, GAR Lock, JB Statham, DL Underwood, RGD Willis.