Virat Kohli will have some questions to answer once the Test series starts tomorrow in Edgbaston, but for sure, it will not be an easier proposition. However, India will have some clear-cut formulas to counter the English threat and here you go.

Since Kohli became India’s new No.4 after Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement from international cricket, India have lost their second wicket at roughly the end of the 27th over. In 2014 tour to England, the corresponding number for the team was 21st over and in Australia, it was 29th. And you know what happened. While Kohli averaged 13 in England, that rose to an incredible 87 in Australia. So, it is paramount for the top-order to make the ball old by sticking around, albeit that does mean a lesser amount of runs. 

Rule #2

Kohli was breathing fire. So were Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. India’s home dominance in 2016 and 2017 had a common theme attached to it. However, an often overlooked factor that contributed to India’s success was the contribution of the lower-order batsmen. Virat Kohli’s propensity to pick five bowlers in the team forced India to play the wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and spin-bowling all-rounders R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja at Nos. 6, 7 and 8 respectively and as it turned out, the trio lived up to the billing. 

Dinesh Karthik coming in for Saha could bolster the lower middle order big time and the team management will also be relying on the likes of Ashwin and Mohammed Shami to deliver to the best of their potential so as to drag the score forward.

Rule #3

While DK or Rishabh Pant, whoever will be included, will strengthen the batting, it leaves them a bowler short. Depending on the team combinations, England could throw a 6,7 of Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow. India have first-hand experience struggling to nip the tail in the 2014 tour and this puts them in a catch-22 situation. In the absence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and co have their task cut out for the Edgbaston Test. 

Rule #4

As a matter of fact, since the Ashes whitewash of 2013-14, England have handed debut caps to as many as 10 fast-bowlers for the third seamer's position without any considerable success. If one player can claim to nail down the position with some amount of success, it is Chris Woakes. Apart from Woakes, Steven Finn, Jake Ball, Craig Overton, Mark Wood, and Toby Roland-Jones were called up to the team, but ended up either being injured or was sidelined due to the lack of good performances. Sam Curran, who made his debut against Pakistan in June, and Jamie Porter, Essex’s county hero last season, called up to the Test squad for the first time and can give Woakes a run for his money. However, the lack of experience at the highest level means India has an upper edge over them. 

So, if India can attack the third seamer incessantly - be it Mark Wood or Porter or Curran or Woakes - Joe Root will have to continuously bring in either of his star bowlers to the attack. And considering both are grappling with injuries at the moment, India will be able to tear them once they get tired. A clear cut plan now available for them - leave as many balls outside the off-stump possible to Broad and Anderson and don’t take chances against them from the beginning. 

If England’s recent records are anything to go by, they are one of the worst Test teams at the moment and it is not only because of their shambolic away performances. Since the beginning of the 2014 season, England have lost 10 out of 30 home Tests which includes four Test losses in the last 10 games. 

One of the major reasons that can be attributed to the performances can be Middle-order's exposure to the new ball. However, England have been facing severe opening problems since Andrew Strauss' retirement in 2012. Since then, they've tried 12 different opening combinations with Alastair Cook and none has been able to make the spot his own. Due to that, the middle-order, more often that, has to face the new ball which cost England big-time.