The last time India were playing England, Mumbai faced an unprecedented terror attack. Two weeks on, the teams have the task of giving fans reason to cheer again.
Winning the RBS Trophy will mean a lot to Kevin Pietersen and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. For England the mental burden of all that has happened in the last two weeks will have to be overcome. Dhoni, on the other hand, is leading a team that has brushed aside all opposition in recent months.
"It's important for us to win this series and end this year on a good note," Dhoni said on the eve of the first Test. "It's one of the years we have done well both in Test and one-day cricket."
While the Indian eleven virtually picks itself, a couple of men face a stern test. Yuvraj Singh replaces the now retired Sourav Ganguly, and will be expected to carry his one-day form into the Test arena. Rahul Dravid, though, faces a trial by fire — to erase the memories of a horror series against Australia.
"As of now, he (Dravid) is shaping up really well," Dhoni said of the former captain. "He got time in between to go back, have good net sessions and focus in the areas he needs to focus. We all know the amount of talent he has. He is one of the most committed cricketers around."
The odds are stacked against England. If being thrashed in the one-day series wasn't bad enough, the last couple of weeks have been spent wondering whether to make this trip at all.
"We are definitely the underdogs coming into this Test match," said England captain Kevin Pietersen. "But everything that's happened in the last couple of weeks distracted both teams and whoever handles the next five to twelve days is going to determine which team is going to come out trumps."
While the pitch is expected to favour the batsmen, the curator promises help for the spinners as the game wears on. The forecast unfortunately is for rain over the weekend.
England know that doing well against a formidable side that thrashed Australia 2-0 would be a huge bonus, especially since not many give them a chance. For India, a victory would be special as it would put a smile on a billion faces looking for something to cheer.
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