England Welcome Back Their Favourite (Pieter)Son

Alastair Cook - England's new captain

England have wandered off to India, facing a hiding to nothing.

There is no Andrew Strauss to calm all but the ebullient Kevin Pietersen. There is, however Pietersen. Said to be destined to a long stay kicking about the Second XI whilst Alastair Cook took the boys out to the sub continent looking for an immediate miracle. Yet, here he is. Back in the fold and for all we know, texting his mates playing in Brisbane and explaining his new skipper's failing.

He won't make that mistake again ... don't bet.

For Cook, this is a baptism of fiery heat, upset stomachs, endless spin and several floggings either from Sehwag or Tendulkar or perhaps the rising star Virat Kohli. The aggressive middle order player was India's only success story in a miserable Australia summer which caused so much dissension in the team and an outcry from the Indian media who worship their players as gods and melt them down when they become fallen idols. India may have been a toothless tiger during the last Australian summer but rest assured, with their colonial masters back on their pitches, the required dental work will have transformed them.

Graeme Swann needs wickets

The English are ill-equipped for this contest. They will head into the first Test with the same three quicks and Graeme Swann formula which was their blueprint in designing the path to number one. Whilst this was a fine combination once, some of the key personnel are not what they were and if that be true, they have never been good in India. The trump should be Swann, often touted as the best spinner in the world, but it's been quite a while since he deserved that title. Swann doesn't bowl well in the conditions he'll return to in this series. His two Tests in India have harvested a lean 8 wickets at 39.50. Not much to put store in as a match winner. In fact, his 192 wickets at 29.5 don't put him among the greats. Their other trump, Jimmy Anderson, was tamed at home against South Africa and he hasn't taken ten wickets in a series in any of his last four series, including the home series against the West Indies. Against the powerful South African batsmen, Anderson had to bowl more than sixteen overs for each wicket. He has bowled well in India but he has looked below his form of the previous two years.

The Pietersen enigma

At their best, England have a strong batting line up but it was humbled against Pakistan and their probing spin. Ian Bell comes to India the most improved of the Englishmen against spin and he'll get the chance to prove it. Cook and Jonathan Trott will be the key players in their line up and Pietersen ... well, who knows what he'll contribute. He can win matches in a session but can also be the worst influence possible.

India have chosen a squad which is largely the won which accounted easily for New Zealand in September. Yuvraj Singh comes back at No 6, replacing Raina. Virenda Sehwag will likely play his last home series and he won't be recognisable from the shell shocked zombie who entered and left soon after on Australian grounds last summer. He has always had an extra set of arms on home turf, where he averages 58, compared to 47 away from home. Expect fireworks. Kohli has already made the transition into Test cricket in its deadliest cauldron and he will relish the English bowling. Sachin Tendulkar can't have a lot left to prove and these days bats rather more recklessly than his younger self but on his home tracks, one or two glorious parting gifts would seem almost regulation.

India's captain, MS Dhoni, has gradually put himself back in favour with the media and he seemed hungry again against New Zealand. He is another player who does a much better job at home.

Four Tests ahead of both teams and a fascinating series.