The Analyst says that the toss will be crucial again in Mohali, but believes that the visitors can compete with India...
England have travelled to north India for the third Test starting on Saturday.
At least the climate will be a little more comfortable – a maximum of 28 degrees celsius, with cooler mornings and evenings.
But there will be little change in the pitch conditions.
The ground at Mohali has traditionally had a bit more in it for the seamers. Not this time. It is dry and cracked and will favour spin.
It is inevitably playing to India’s strengths.
As in Vishakapatnam, the toss will be crucial. The team batting first will have a day and a half of decent run-making conditions.
Then the ball will start to misbehave.
Alastair Cook needs to win that toss, and he has a 45% record of doing so. A 400-plus total is a prerequisite of getting back into this series.
Despite England bringing Jos Buttler into the side – a man who has played only one red-ball match in 12 months – they are capable of doing this.
To minimise the pressure on Buttler, he will probably bat in the lower-middle order, with Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow – the leading Test run scorer of 2016 – all moving up a place.
All of the top seven – apart from the discarded Ben Duckett – have made significant runs in the series already.
If England are consigned to fielding first and batting second it will be much tougher.
Their objective then will be to bowl India out for under 300.
This is not impossible. The Indian opening pair are not convincing and still searching for their first substantial stand in over a year.
The England seam attack – with the brisk Chris Woakes returning for the injured Stuart Broad – must remove one of them quickly to get at Pujara and Kohli with the new ball.
Despite his brilliance, Kohli is susceptible to a short ball in the first few deliveries – he was dropped at fine leg in the last Test.
He also commits to the drive early, so a good change of pace might also work.
Woakes could be the man for this job.
Below Kohli, India are also not convincing. Ajinkya Rahane has a fragile defence and Ravi Ashwin is too high at number six.
England must be positive in their outlook – keeping control with the seamers and taking wickets with the spinners.
Adil Rashid has shown impressive improvement in the two Tests, with more confidence and consistency than he had in Bangladesh.
He has 13 wickets in the series at 28 already. England are likely to use Gareth Batty’s experience instead of Zafar Ansari, especially as Ansari has a back injury.
Reverse swing could help England, too.
The abrasive pitch will scuff up the ball, as will the drier outfield. Expect lots more vigorous polishing – and sucking of mints.
But it will be how England bat in the first two days that will determine the match.
Provided they do not sacrifice silly wickets like they did in the first innings at Vizag, they can compete.
They have four world-class players – Cook, Root, Stokes, Anderson – compared to India’s three – Kohli, Pujara, Ashwin.
Given their recent consistency – 15 Tests undefeated – you’d have to make India favourites.
But only just.
