England vs India 2018: Top 3 player battles to watch out for

#2 Alastair Cook Vs R Ashwin

R Ashwin currently occupies fifth spot in ICC rankings

It is never easy being a Test opener, especially in the country of England. The new ball generally swings rapidly and it takes great deal for an opener to survive, let alone score runs consistently. But Cook is blessed with robust technique and patience required to counter the conditions. While his overall average against spinners is quite healthy, Cook has been unusually vulnerable against spin in the recent times.

One bowler who will looking to take advantage of this weakness will be Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin currently occupies fifth spot in the test rankings and will be looking to climb up the rankings with an improved performance. Moreover, he proves to be more lethal against left handed batsmen. Over the last three tours to Asia, Cook has fallen to spin 14 times in 17 innings, nine times to off-spinners.

Fans will be hoping for an intense battle between these two world-class players.