A whole lot of unknowns: England v India series preview

We preview the upcoming England v India Test series - that has had one of the most lukewarm build-ups in a time of Covid, The Olympics, and The Hundred. It's a time of bio-bubbles, quarantines, injuries, mental health and player rotation. And hopefully some memorable cricket too. Click here to support 81allout on Ko-Fi Talking Points The new Covid normal in cricket's landscape Separate teams for Tests and short-form cricket - the pros, the cons, and the economics The constant existential threat facing Test cricket How does one put a value to Test cricket? Monetizing stories, memory, and legacies Ben Stokes' absence and implications for mental health in cricket India's recent history in England - with their last win coming in 2007 How 4-1 didn't tell the story of the close series in 2018 India's fast bowling attack maturing over the last three years Bowling in England and New Zealand versus bowling elsewhere India's selection quandary - in the light of the feeble lower order Mayank Agarwal v Prithvi Shaw The temptation to pick Shardul Thakur England's thin top-order - and the wealth of seam bowling options Predictions Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Ashoka (@ABVan) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Related: Ken Barrington's demons -  Gideon Haigh - The Cricket Monthly 'I've found my love for the game in the last couple of years' - Abhinav Mukund interview - 81allout podcast 'It's ok to take a break, it's ok to speak up' - Abhinav Mukund column - cricbuzz.com 'It takes time to understand what makes you tick' - Aakash Chopra interview - 81allout podcast Test of time - Wright Thompson - ESPN India have a tailender problem - Karthik Krishnaswamy - ESPNcricinfo The art of Bedi - Suresh Menon about his biography of Bishan Bedi - 81allout podcast