Kohli's India Face England With Lord's Test Final At Stake

New dad Virat Kohli returns to captain a buoyant India against England as they aim to build on their crushing win over Australia by sealing a place in the World Test Championship final. Kohli, who wel

The visitors have been boosted by the return of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Rory Burns as they rotate players to reduce their time in biosecure "bubbles".

Wicketkeeper Jos Buttler will go home after the first Test, while Jonny Bairstow has been rested for the opening two matches.

"Root has time to play his strokes. He also plays spin well off the back foot. Buttler dominates the bowlers really well. That is his strength. Stokes too is similar and keeps the bowler under pressure." Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav told ESPNcricinfo.

The first Test in Chennai is behind closed doors, but 50 percent capacity -- 16,500 -- will be allowed at the second Test in the same venue.

The day-night third Test and the fourth game will be the first held at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad -- the world's biggest cricket stadium, with a 110,000 capacity.

India has the world's second-highest number of pandemic cases, more than 10.7 million, but numbers of new infections and deaths have fallen dramatically in recent weeks.