England captain Joe Root on Tuesday said his team has strong plans in place for Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who goes into the five-Test series with the baggage of a forgettable tour in 2014.
"From our perspective, we'd love similar form but we know how good a player he is and what he is capable of. He's come a long way in the last few years in this format in particular. We feel we have some strong plans in place for him but ultimately when you play against the world's best players they generally have answers," said Root on the eve of the first Test.
"I'm sure there are a lot of England fans out there that love watching him play. We obviously know he's a world proven performer in this format and it'll be very important for us to try and keep him quiet. But there are some other good players on show within these two teams and it's important we make sure we outperform India as a whole," he said.
It will be England's 1000th Test, but celebrations will be muted, as a full house is not expected at Edgbaston at least on day one.
"It might not be full just now but I see that as an opportunity for people in this area particularly to come and watch some really good Test cricket. There are some great players on show and two very good teams. I see a big place for Test cricket in the future and I think it's just really important if we just try and take the game forward as players," said Root.
India, however, have not named their eleven ahead of the game and face issues with a struggling top-order.
"In terms of India, we'll have to wait and see. I don’t have any preconceived ideas, ” Root said.