Sky Sports Cricket: Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes fans of the Indian team are waiting to see how the Rohit Sharma-led side can put England's ultra-attacking Bazball strategy to bed when the five-match Test series begins on January 25 in Hyderabad.
England last won a Test series in India 12 years ago, where Alastair Cook was the captain and spinners Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar played leading roles in the 2-1 triumph. In the 2021 tour, England had won the opening Test in Chennai, but lost next three games to lose series 3-1.
"There's been a lot of talk about Indian cricket and there's been a lot of talk about Bazball. My sense in the World Cup was that a lot of Indian fans are waiting to see how to put Bazball to bed," said Hussain on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast.
England will be captained by Ben Stokes, who is returning post a left knee operation. They have also picked four spinners in left-arm spinner Jack Leach, who missed last year’s Ashes due to a stress fracture of the back.
It also includes teenaged leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, as well as uncapped duo of left-arm spinner Tom Hartley and off-spinner Shoaib Bashir. Hussain also feels if India prepare excessive turning pitches, then it brings England into play too.
"I think what India should do is ask for good pitches that spin a bit because I think their spinners and batters will then out-bat and out-spin ours. If they ask for pitches that spin a lot then it becomes a bit of a lottery and brings England's spinners into the game. The way Bazball goes about its business, they won't die wondering."
Following the opening game in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi and Dharamshala will be the venues for the Tests between India and England. Hussain pointed out top-order batter Joe Root as the key player with the bat for England if they are to succeed in the Test challenge against India. "If it spins, then Root becomes England's most important player. Duckett as well,, also Stokes is a magnificent player of spin and their mindset as well. As we saw in Pakistan, where different pitches, did not spin much at all.”
“Low, slow, and they get 500 in a day or whatever. So, don't expect what we saw last time where batters are just pushing and prodding. I talked to Swanny about the balance last week. We have seen Cook getting 190-odd in India, and Pietersen scoring 180-odd in India. Two completely different, but hugely successful, so still high risk is high risk," he concluded.