Team India is all set for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting from Thursday in Hyderabad.
As Team India prepares for the imminent five-match Test series against England, beginning this Thursday in Hyderabad, the bowling lineup includes Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mukesh Kumar in the pace department. The spin department is entrusted to Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Prior to the series opener, former England skipper Michael Vaughan has cautioned against India excessively favoring spin-friendly pitches.
Vaughan emphasizes that spinning tracks could work in favor of England’s Jack Leach. He points out, ‘I think it would be a big mistake if the pitches spin hugely from ball one of the series. Spinning pitches bring Jack Leach and the young spinners England have selected into the game. Is Leach a better spinner than Jadeja? No. But if you give him a turning pitch, and England bat first, he will be right in the game,’ as mentioned in his column for the Telegraph.
Furthermore, Vaughan believes that overly spinning pitches could make India’s batting vulnerable, providing England with the opportunity to bowl them out. He suggests, ‘If the pitches are flatter, India will score thousands, and also have the bowlers to work England out.’
Former England skipper Michael Atherton expressed his belief that India’s superior spin attack would be the deciding factor in winning the Test series against Ben Stokes and company. Atherton stated, ‘I think India will win. Their spinners are better than England’s and that will be the defining thing in the end. If you go to India, spin will play a big part, it historically has done and I suspect it always will do. India does have a very strong seam attack as well,’ he added.