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Virat Kohli
Former British cricketer Naseer Hussain feels that Virat Kohli might be under immense pressure as captain in the forthcoming series against England. The batsman returned home after India's embarrassing defeat in the first Test in Adelaide for his first child's birth. In his absence, Ajinkya Rahane took over and registered a glorious win in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by a 2-1 margin. Several cricket experts applauded his calm and composed nature on the field and how he led the team. There were even recommendations of handing over the Indian Test captaincy permanently to Rahane.
Nasser Hussain feels that such immense pressure will only get the best out of the Indian captain. Virat will have a point to prove and believes he has a strong team to make it happen. Hussain further stated that India is one of the best, but Ravindra Jadeja's absence is a massive blow for them. Considering England's weakness against left-arm spin, Hussain reckoned that the all-rounder's absence could prove decisive. He further mentioned that Jadeja plays IPL cricket in Chennai and knows the ground very well.
India are favorites to win the series: Nasser Hussain
Virat Kohli has a remarkable record as a Test captain at home. Under his captainship, Team India have won 20 matches so far. Virat would now be hoping to continue in the same spirit against England. The upcoming four-match series will be essential for India to book their spot in the final of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship.
The 52-year-old also added that the visitors would be hoping captain Joe Root to set the stage for the team. However, England would still be concerned about their deficiencies against spinners. Hussain believes that India is currently the best team globally as they defeated Australia without the captain and other crucial players.
The India vs England series will get underway on Friday, February 5 in Chennai. The second Test match will be held at the same venue from February 13-17. The final two Tests will take place at the newly constructed Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad from February 24-28 and March 4-8. All five T20Is will be held in Ahmedabad on March 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 whereas the three ODIs will be featured in Pune on March 23, 26 and 28.