England vs India 2018: 5 Things to look forward to in the upcoming Test series

England's over-reliance on Anderson and Broad

Anderson and Broad have shouldered most of the responsibility.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad have carried this England bowling attack for quite some time now. They have a staggering 950+ Test wickets between them. However, their fitness has been a cause of concern in recent times. Anderson has a shoulder problem while Broad injured his ankle during a County game.

Even though they will be fit before the first Test begins, there have been questions whether both of them can last the 5-Test match series. Both these premier pacers played all seven Test matches last winter in Australia and New Zealand. But their recent injuries might be a cause of concern for captain Joe Root and coach Trevor Bayliss.

Anderson has been England’s standout bowler in red-ball cricket. Since the start of 2017, Anderson has taken 73 wickets in 16 Tests. While Broad is second on the list with 49 wickets in the same number of matches. These two have done the bulk of the bowling and England haven’t had a consistent third seamer.

Chris Woakes, Toby Roland Jones and Craig Overton have been in and out of the team due to injuries and poor form. But none of them have managed to seal that third seamer’s spot. For now, it does look like Chris Woakes will most likely be that third fast bowler. However, even he is coming off an injury and it will be very interesting to see how England’s bowling attack shapes up and progresses in the series.