Two of the most recognized nations in world cricket meet on Wednesday, when India begins its summer tour against England. When the two sides last met in England in 2011, the hosts won the Test series in a 4-0 whitewash, taking the #1 Test ranking in the process. A lot has changed in the three years since, and cricket fans are eagerly awaiting the first Test in Nottingham.

You might be wondering how an American became a cricket viewer. For me, it started in February 2011, during the Cricket World Cup held on the Indian subcontinent. I was watching a group stage match between Australia and New Zealand, and I was mesmerized by the action. Whether it was T20, ODI, or Test matches, it was fascinating to see how the game was played. A Test can go up to five days and not have a winner; what counts as a home run in baseball would automatically mean six runs in cricket; some innings last until the batting team gets 10 outs (they’re called “wickets” in cricket). Cricket is a sport that can seem simple and complicated at the same time.

Now back to England-India…

The hosts have been through a wild 2014 so far, still recovering from losing 5-0 in the Ashes, their biennial rivalry with Australia. Last month England narrowly lost a Test series with Sri Lanka, with their final batsman getting out on the penultimate ball of the match. The Three Lions are still adapting to new head coach Peter Moores, and this series could ultimately determine the future of Alastair Cook’s time as captain. It was against India three years ago, though, that Cook managed his highest ever score in a single innings of 294. A win at Trent Bridge would quiet the critics, if only for a short time.

India are desperate to put the horror show of 2011 behind them, and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, is confident that his side can get a critical series win overseas. The tourists have an array of talented batters, including Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, the latter having excelled at T20 cricket in the recent past. But with this being India’s first Test since February, will that gap prove costly in England? Right now the visitors are fourth in the Test rankings, with the hosts right behind them at fifth.

There are five Tests in this series: one each in Nottingham, Southampton, and Manchester, and two in London (at separate grounds). Will England use the home conditions to their advantage, or will India have an away series win to show for their improvement?

For more on the intricacies of cricket, check out this video ESPN produced, featuring “Rules of Engagement” star Adhir Kalyan.