Only leach

James Anderson: Veteran England fast-bowler James Anderson believes the visitors’ might even open the bowling with two spinners when they commence their five-match Test tour of India on January 25 in Hyderabad.

England last won a Test series in India in 2012/13 season and the last time they were here in 2021, the visitors’ lost the series 3-1 after winning the opening game in Chennai. For this tour, England have a four-member spin-bowling attack in Jack Leach, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir. Only Leach has played Tests previously in India, apart from the fast-bowling trio of Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood.

“That has been my role over the recent past anyway is stepping into that mentoring role as a senior figure. I have a duty to pass on information to people. We have bowlers who have not bowled in India before, so it will be a different challenge for them. We have to help where we can.”