England vs India 2018: India-England Combined Test XI

The All-rounder & Wicket-keeper

Ben Stokes(All-rounder)

Stoke's role will be crucial with both Bat and Ball

The allrounder role is of utmost importance in any form of cricket and it has been pretty even battle between Ben Stokes and Hardik Pandya for the role. In this even battle, Ben Stokes shines through in the end just because the Test matches are going to be played in his home soil and he is a slightly better batsman for those conditions. It would easily have gone the other way had the matches were getting played in India. Though he has not reached his peak post his comeback, he would certainly play a crucial role in the outcome of the series.

Jos Buttler(Wicket-keeper)

Jos Buttler would be key to England's plan to tackle spin

Let's face it! If anyone got benefited from IPL 2018, it was Jos Buttler. He has carried his fine IPL form into the Pakistan Test series and would be expected to do more of the same in this series. His attacking intent adds a different flavor to England's batting line-up and would be crucial to their plans of tackling spin.

Spinners

Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin would be a major threat to the left-handers in England line-up

He might just be the best Test spinner of the current era. His consistent all-round performances played a major role in India's success at home and he would be looking to improve his mediocre overseas record. Irrespective of statistics, one can't just leave Ashwin out of the team especially considering his last county stint at Worcestershire.

Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav could well be India's trump card in the series

He has been having the time of his life in England. After he bamboozled the English players in the T20 and ODI series, he is the player to watch out for in this series. English players were not reading him very well and considering the fact pitches in England would be dry after a long summer, he might be X-Factor that decides the series.