India v England: Champions Trophy preparations begin with spotlight on misfiring Indian stars

The Indian cricket team is in the midst of a crisis. Careers of players and coaching staff are on the line. After six months of unprecedented defeats across formats home and away, the Indian team is one more major defeat away from complete meltdown.

Their next assignment is a five-match T20 series at home against England, which begins in Kolkata on Wednesday. It is a format where they are the reigning world champions and in which they won 22 out of 26 matches last year, losing just twice.

But in the mayhem of the Indian team's unprecedented run of defeats, formats and form are merging.

It is Suryakumar Yadav leading an in-form T20 side, not Rohit Sharma fumbling around as an out-of-touch batsman and leader. India also have world-class power hitters and immaculate four-over bowlers. Still, it is easy to lose focus on the immediate, simply because of what is on the horizon.

The England tour, which includes five T20s and three ODIs, is part of the build up for both sides for next month's Champions Trophy which will be held in Pakistan and the UAE.

A number of players, on both sides, who are in the T20 squad will also feature in the subsequent ODIs and then the Champions Trophy.

That means the momentum built up and information gathered during the coming weeks will serve as critical data points for the short, high stakes ICC 50-overs tournament.

India's stars under the scanner

After India lost the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, their cricket board decided to crack the whip on everyone associated with the team.

Many of the players' privileges, like unregulated training sessions, independent travel plans, optional appearances in domestic matches, have been taken back completely.

An extraordinary set of guidelines has been provided to the players and also support staff with strict punishment in place for any failure to meet them.

As a result, star batsmen like Rohit, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant have all been pencilled in for domestic first-class matches.

The fitness of two key members of India's white-ball teams will be tested during the England series.

Fast bowler Mohammad Shami will feature in the T20 series, after being sidelined from the national team for more than a year following ankle surgery. His match-fitness will be closely monitored as the other pace spearhead - Jasprit Bumrah - injured his back during the Australia tour.

Bumrah will test his fitness during the ODI leg of the tour, which could well decide India's chances at the Champions Trophy.

As far as the T20 team is concerned, newly appointed vice-captain Axar Patel highlighted the importance of letting a winning side focus on what it has been doing so far.

Players like Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh have been in vintage form, helping India post record totals regularly.

In bowling, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy have been stupendous, with the former critical in India's win in the T20 World Cup final.

Axar said that they will continue to back their winning formula in batting - letting openers Samson and Abhishek do what they want, and having a flexible line-up after that.

"The openers are fixed but everyone from numbers three to seven have been told that they can come into bat anytime, in any situation," Axar said.

"Our middle order will come to bat depending on the match situation, what kind of bowlers are bowling at the time, which match-up works well."

New start for England

This is an important tour for England as well, and not just in the form of preparation.

Their era-defining coach Brendon McCullum is now in charge of their white-ball team too, having taken over from Matthew Mott who oversaw failed campaigns to defend their T20 and 50-overs World Cup titles.

"Obviously, we want to win every game we play, to try and be successful, and that's ultimately the mission for us," McCullum said ahead of his first white-ball series as coach.

"I'm desperate for us to play a really watchable brand of cricket. With the talent we have, there's no reason why we can't.

"We've got a batting line-up which is as powerful as any batting line-up in the world. We've got gun spinners, very good fielders and guys who bowl absolute rockets with the ball, so you've got options there to be able to entertain and give yourself the greatest chance of success."

Jos Buttler leads a highly talented group with extensive experience in Asian conditions through various T20 leagues. All-rounder Jacob Bethell begins what is a crucial tour that could see him become an indispensable part of the team as a top order batsman and reliable spinner.

The form of pace bowler Jofra Archer, along with that of Mark Wood, will be closely monitored as the two can provide Buttler extensive firepower across conditions.