ENG vs IND: 3 key England players that India should be wary of

Joe Root attempts an unconventional shot during play on day 5 of the third cricket Test match between England and New Zealand. Pic/ AFP

The much awaited England vs India Test match is finally set to get underway on July 1st. Although this England side isn't terribly different from the one that faced India last year, their revitalized, aggressive approach has made them a much bigger threat in Test matches.

While Indian fans will of course be well versed with the India team, here is a lowdown on who England's biggest threats are that Indian fans need to keep an eye out for.

Joe Root

Joe Root has already shown India firsthand just how good he can be. The former England captain is currently enjoying an epic purple patch that began last year and has seen him rack up 2462 runs in 23 games at an average of 58.61. Root was at his best against India in the first four Tests of the series, scoring a monstrous 564 runs, including 3 hundreds at an average of over 94. No doubt he will be the key wicket on the minds of India's bowlers.

Jonny Bairstow

Bairstow's Test career has been a roller-coaster ride so far, but unfortunately for India, he's been on an upwards trend since the back-end of the Ashes series. Until now, Bairstow had been a world class limited-overs player but an ordinary Test batter. However, under the new England regime, Bairstow has brought the best of his T20 game to the red-ball format. In their recent series against New Zealand, Jonny scored 394 runs in 3 Tests at an average of nearly 79 and a strike rate of 120! If he isn't dismissed soon, he could take the Indian bowling to the cleaners.

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Matthew Potts

Matthew Potts isn't a bowler that too many Indian fans would have heard of. He made his Test debut just this month against New Zealand, but based on his performances, the 23-year-old could be one of England's mainstays over the next decade or so. He caught skipper Ben Stokes' eye with strong performances for Durham in the County Championship, where he picked up 35 wickets in 6 games at an average of just under 19. Potts then went on to become the home side's star bowler in the Tests vs New Zealand where he picked up 14 wickets in 3 games, dismissing no less a batter than Kane Williamson on three occasions. He isn't a big swinger of the ball, but tends to bowl the typical hard lengths at a brisk pace that make batsmen's lives difficult.