1st Test: England win toss, opt to bat against India

England captain Joe Root won the toss and opted to bat in the first of the five-Test match series against India at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Wednesday.

Speaking after the toss, Root said, "We will bat first. It looks a good surface, there's some moisture which should burn off, looks good to bat. The preparations have been good, it's time to deliver now."

"We are filled with confidence (after the ODI win), but this is a new game. The selectors gave us good options and I am happy with the personnel we have," he added.

Virat Kohli and Co. will be entering the ground with the baggage of an unforgettable tour in 2014. 

But a lot has changed since then and the team will be desperate to overpower their poor record on English soil. 

Talking about their strategy for today, Kohli said, " We were thinking about bowling first. The conditions are overcast, we want to make the most of it. There's always excitement and anticipation, it's a long series and we are well prepared. We are comfortable with our skill-sets."

"I think we have the bowlers for this pitch, we need to focus on our skills, need to play positively and get the results. Pujara has been left out, KL Rahul will bat at three. Three pace bowlers, Hardik as the all-rounder and Ashwin is the lone spinner," he added.

It will be England's 1000th test game after the English side acquired the Test status in 1877 and played their first Test match in the same year against Australia. 

Teams:

India (Playing XI):Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Dinesh Karthik(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma

England (Playing XI): Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root(c), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow(w), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, James Anderson