What's new

Which side will win the 5-match Test series between India and England (2024)?

Who will win the 5-match Test series between India and England?

  • Total voters
    41
FearlessRoar

FearlessRoar

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 11, 2023
Runs
24,032
ENGLAND MEN’S SQUAD FOR INDIA TEST TOUR 2024 ANNOUNCED

The England Men's selection panel have named a 16-player squad for the five-Test series against India which starts next month.

The squad includes three uncapped players at Test level with Surrey quick Gus Atkinson joined by spinners Tom Hartley (Lancashire) and Shoaib Bashir (Somerset).

Atkinson claimed 20 wickets in five County Championship matches last summer at an average of 20.20 as Surrey claimed back-to-back titles.

Hartley and Bashir were both part of the England Lions squad that trained in the United Arab Emirates last month. They were joined in the UAE by vice-captain Ollie Pope and Jack Leach to step up their preparations as they return to Test duty following injury.

Leicestershire’s teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed returns to the Test squad after claiming a five-wicket haul on his Test debut in Pakistan last December.

England Men’s squad for tour of India:

Ben Stokes (Durham – captain)
Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire)
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Gus Atkinson (Surrey)
Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Shoaib Bashir (Somerset)
Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Ben Foakes (Surrey)
Tom Hartley (Lancashire)
Jack Leach (Somerset)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Mark Wood (Durham)

Fixtures:
1st Test: India v England, 25-29 January, Hyderabad
2nd Test: India v England, 2-6 February, Vizag
3rd Test: India v England, 15-19 February, Rajkot
4th Test: India v England, 23-27 February, Ranchi
5th Test: India v England, 7-11 March, Dharamsala

In this tough 5-test match contest, which side will come out on top?
 
Uncapped 20-year-old Somerset off-spinner Shoaib Bashir has been named in England's squad for the five-match Test series against India.

Bashir has only played six first-class matches, having made his debut in June.
 
England have picked three fingerspinners in the squad, perhaps recalling the success Axar Patel had in the 2021 series.

The British Asian spin factory chugs along with a surprising callup of Shoaib Bashir, whose name I haven't heard. His FC stats don't look anything to shout about.

@Bewal Express have you seen him ? I suspect he's there for experience with Leach and Rehan likely to start.
 
It is shocking to me just how barren England are in their red ball spin department. Not only have they not replaced Swann, they have not even tried.

I'm very surprised ECB did not pursue Simon Harmer. He had openly said at one point that he wanted to play for England. His skill( which I rate as good as any off-spinner in the world) and experience could have been used by England to great effect for at least a few years. For all the meetings and plans of the ECB and people like Rob Key, they are going to India with two kids, Rehan who has played 13 FC matches, and this young man who has played just 6.

Most likely India will produce raging bunsens again for the Tests. On these wickets, against a good batting lineup, you need to be able to bowl your stock ball in the right area ball after ball. This skill only comes with experience, if it ever comes. Harmer is excellent at this. Leach, IMO, is OK.

No matter how talented these two boys are, they are not being set up to succeed. Neither are England.

Expect many more 3-day thrashings.
 
Markhor said:
England have picked three fingerspinners in the squad, perhaps recalling the success Axar Patel had in the 2021 series.

The British Asian spin factory chugs along with a surprising callup of Shoaib Bashir, whose name I haven't heard. His FC stats don't look anything to shout about.

@Bewal Express have you seen him ? I suspect he's there for experience with Leach and Rehan likely to start.
Click to expand...
Tbh only in passing. He looked OK but nowhere near international quality. The England cupboard is just as bare as ours
 
Markhor said:
England have picked three fingerspinners in the squad, perhaps recalling the success Axar Patel had in the 2021 series.

The British Asian spin factory chugs along with a surprising callup of Shoaib Bashir, whose name I haven't heard. His FC stats don't look anything to shout about.

@Bewal Express have you seen him ? I suspect he's there for experience with Leach and Rehan likely to start.
Click to expand...

They've picked him on attributes not FC numbers. He's got a very high release point and skids the ball through at pace and at the stumps.

Regardless of his English County numbers, they expect his style to work in India. Hartley too.

The era of looking at raw stats in county/RLODC are well and truly over.
 
Ben Stokes rejects Steve Harmison's condemnation of England's preparation for upcoming tour of India

Ex-England seamer Harmison, a former Durham team-mate and close friend of Stokes, believes that arriving in India just three days before the start of a five-match series is a recipe for disaster.

He claimed the tourists would "deserve to get beaten 5-0" without spending longer acclimatising to conditions, drawing a curt response from the England captain.

Stokes replied to a video of Harmison's comments, saying: "Good job we're going to Abu Dhabi for a training camp before we go to India for even more training before that first Test then, isn't it?"

England, who lost 3-1 in their previous Indian tour on spinning pitches, do not have any warm-up fixtures scheduled but hope to tune up for the series opener on January 25 with a week-long workout in the United Arab Emirates.

Harmison suggested that approach was insufficient, telling talkSPORT: "If England go in three days before, they deserve to get beat 5-0, they really do.

"I'm an old man, that's what they'll say," he continued. "Times have changed, but preparation hasn't changed. I love this new approach, I love Ben Stokes and [head coach] Brendon McCullum. But I'm sorry, going three days before... You'd never do that for an Ashes series.

"You'd never go to Australia three days before the Gabba, so why go three days before Hyderabad? For me it stinks, it absolutely stinks."

Stokes, meanwhile, is racing to be fully fit for the first Test.

He underwent surgery on his long-standing left knee injury at the end of November and has been chronicling his rehabilitation with a sequence of videos on Instagram.

England are not expecting him to feature as a bowler but even having him available to bat pain-free would represent an improvement on recent times.

Posting from the gym on Wednesday, he wrote: "Massive progress for the week," "muscle symmetry coming back" and "finally able to get into the flexion needed for a spin on the bike, for something normally so easy it was very pleasing to be able to do [it] today."
​
SOURCE: SKY SPORTS
 
this is england best chance to win the series india test team really weak now
 
This England squad looks a bit peculiar.

There is an element of transition going on here - the Broad and Moeen Ali retirements, Stokes continuing his conversion from an allrounder into a possible top order batsman (will he come in at 3?), and some potential debutants to backfill the already sporadic spin stocks.

I’m hoping that Zak Crawley and/or Joe Root can have a really good series.

The lack of preparation won’t help England at all.

I agree with many of the predictions that it’s looking like a series of heavy England defeats. England maybe to win 1 Test.
 
England have great chance to win a test series in india like 2012 .Most of Indian players are old or newbie .
 
Devadwal said:
England have great chance to win a test series in india like 2012 .Most of Indian players are old or newbie .
Click to expand...
Common man rank turners will be waiting for England and plus India always plays well at home
 
Before series the start, pitch talk is already started..india can prepare any pitch they want to prepare. period.
 
Devadwal said:
Before series the start, pitch talk is already started..india can prepare any pitch they want to prepare. period.
Click to expand...

Yes, I have no problem with this at all. It’s a part of home advantage and the away challenge.

England have lost in India most of the time by playing the traditional straight batted style, so I’m intrigued as to whether the new aggressive approach either improves their outcomes or makes the performances on spinning tracks even worse.
 
Romali_rotti said:
LOL, South Africa had the guts to prepare 5 day wicket like the match that just finished.

Indians will do whats best for them, just like every other home board, stop your crying...
Click to expand...
The game could go till day 5 if IPL superstars of India knew how to bat in test matches. Just check how much SA scored with 10 men.
 
SamNJ said:
Why ? They can get this curator. No ?

Oh I know why they went for this track because Australia beat them in their own game in 3rd test so they started popping bricks. BCCI are such cowards.
Click to expand...
Lol india have better test record than all team across the world in last decade .they win all series at home .and win some series and a test match away from home also. No one even came close
 
SamNJ said:
The game could go till day 5 if IPL superstars of India knew how to bat in test matches. Just check how much SA scored with 10 men.
Click to expand...
Oh right, so if the England batsmen know how to bat in test matches they will be able to last 5 days on a rank turner and not fail like the Indians on the green mumba in SA.

Logic works perfectly..
 
Romali_rotti said:
Oh right, so if the England batsmen know how to bat in test matches they will be able to last 5 days on a rank turner and not fail like the Indians on the green mumba in SA.

Logic works perfectly..
Click to expand...
You are falsely equating the South African pitches of last match with the pitches where even Joe Root takes 5fers.
 
SamNJ said:
You are falsely equating the South African pitches of last match with the pitches where even Joe Root takes 5fers.
Click to expand...
That's perfect, so bowlers from both sides have decent advantage at taking wickets in India, unlike the SA one where only the home bowlers got to exploit the wicket.

So it really will come down to if English batsmen can bat for 5 days in a test match.

Thanks for pointing this out.
 
Jonny Bairstow, the England wicketkeeper-batter, discussed the pitches they would encounter in India, while speaking to an international sports channel, he stated:

“Look, I’m sure the pitches will turn: it’s whether or not they’ll turn from day one, which potentially negates a bit of their strength in their seam attack. We know how strong they are. India can produce different pitches: it doesn’t have to turn. We’ve seen how potent their seam attack has been recently."

“Obviously, the last time Axar and Ashwin played well. You forget that in that first Test match, the guys played really well, Rooty (Joe Root) got a double (hundred) in the first Test match in Chennai and then conditions changed quite drastically."
 
There is no UK broadcaster for this series, yet. And this is supposed to be a marquee series?

If India vs England does not have a broadcaster even at the nth hour, what hope does this format have?
 
Nikhil_cric said:
There is no UK broadcaster for this series, yet. And this is supposed to be a marquee series?

If India vs England does not have a broadcaster even at the nth hour, what hope does this format have?
Click to expand...
That happens almost every ENG tour of IND though. Same thing in 2021. Channel 4 picked it up last minute.
 
Markhor said:
That happens almost every ENG tour of IND though. Same thing in 2021. Channel 4 picked it up last minute.
Click to expand...
Yes, this was the case in 2021. Broadcasters think the series is overvalued. If Channel 4/Sky/BT or whoever think an India-England away series is not worth paying a premium for, then Test cricket is in deeper trouble than even I think.

Basically there's only demand for an away Ashes apart from England's home games.
 
Nikhil_cric said:
Yes, this was the case in 2021. Broadcasters think the series is overvalued. If Channel 4/Sky/BT or whoever think an India-England away series is not worth paying a premium for, then Test cricket is in deeper trouble than even I think.

Basically there's only demand for an away Ashes apart from England's home games.
Click to expand...

It's the Indian broadcasters overspending on the rights then realising the English broadcast market is the only one that may show some real financial competition for the overseas rights so setting an extortionate price to try and recoup some of it thinking they'll create a last minute bidding war, only to then have to settle for peanuts in the end when they've put off the broadcasters with real money. Bizarrely they never seem to learn.
 
Test cricket is dying and this tour will bring nothing but humiliation for the English team. Pitches in India favor the home team and they will surely have an advantage here. Icc should take steps to save this format and should focus more here. India has always been a force to reckon with at their home conditions.
 
HitWicket said:
It's the Indian broadcasters overspending on the rights then realising the English broadcast market is the only one that may show some real financial competition for the overseas rights so setting an extortionate price to try and recoup some of it thinking they'll create a last minute bidding war, only to then have to settle for peanuts in the end when they've put off the broadcasters with real money. Bizarrely they never seem to learn.
Click to expand...
Sure. Any facts or data to back that up or is it the usual ECB PR work?
 
Nikhil_cric said:
Sure. Any facts or data to back that up or is it the usual ECB PR work?
Click to expand...

There were more than enough articles on the matter last time this occured. What does this have to do with the ECB and why do you think they would care about the matter?
 
UK cricket fans face India v England blackout with TV deal still to be agreed

Cricket fans face a possible blackout with England’s Test series against India yet to find a home on UK television, less than three weeks before the first ball is due to be bowled.

The five-match tour, between the teams ranked second and third in the world, is a marquee event in the Test calendar but no deal has been agreed with the opening game in Hyderabad starting on 25 January. TalkSPORT holds the radio rights.

India remains the sport’s most lucrative market by far but deals with the Board of Control for Cricket in India have often gone to the wire, with rights distributors eager to recoup sizeable initial outlays.

When England last toured the country for a Test series, in 2021, a similar situation unfolded and ended in an 11th-hour bid from Channel 4 as it made an unexpected re-entry into the market.

The terrestrial broadcaster’s interest last time was partially motivated by serving a captive audience eager for live sport after the coronavirus lockdowns and, with resources being poured into Channel 4’s Paralympics coverage this year, it is understood there is no interest in making a similar move on this occasion.

That leaves Sky Sports and TNT as possible outlets. Sky was the de facto home of all England tours between 1990 and 2017 and would be well placed to step in at short notice, while TNT made inroads into the field during in its previous incarnation as BT Sport.

With games starting at 4am and play ending before midday the slots are far from prime time but, with England making an overt attempt to raise the entertainment value and profile of the Test game under the leadership of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, it seems inconceivable that the England and Wales Cricket Board would not make some attempt to assist discussions. PA Media has approached the governing body for comment.


Source: The Guardian
 
James said:
This England squad looks a bit peculiar.

There is an element of transition going on here - the Broad and Moeen Ali retirements, Stokes continuing his conversion from an allrounder into a possible top order batsman (will he come in at 3?), and some potential debutants to backfill the already sporadic spin stocks.

I’m hoping that Zak Crawley and/or Joe Root can have a really good series.

The lack of preparation won’t help England at all.

I agree with many of the predictions that it’s looking like a series of heavy England defeats. England maybe to win 1 Test.
Click to expand...
I wonder what the pitches at these newish TEST venues would be like as Jan & Feb are reasonably cold & absence of high temperatures will not result in surface cracking dramatically later in the game . Personally would like to see mildly dry pitches with day 1 surface looking like a day 2 surface , this would ensure decent batting conditions for 7 to 8 sessions & spinners coming in to the game majorly from then on .
 
Human786 said:
I wonder what the pitches at these newish TEST venues would be like as Jan & Feb are reasonably cold & absence of high temperatures will not result in surface cracking dramatically later in the game . Personally would like to see mildly dry pitches with day 1 surface looking like a day 2 surface , this would ensure decent batting conditions for 7 to 8 sessions & spinners coming in to the game majorly from then on .
Click to expand...

4 of these matches will be at HYD, Vizag, Ranchi and Rajkot. There's no winter to speak of in HYD and Vizag with day temp in 30s. Same with Rajkot by the time test match rolls there. Ranchi too is mild at best and if sun is out, players will be sweating.

Dharmshala is the only venue where it's proper cold but because of the elevation, the sunshine is super bright and warm. No player would be seen wearing a sweater there when out in the playing field.
 
Good chance for England to make a comeback after an embarrassing performance in the world cup and against windies as well. Yes format is different but it is the confidence and morale that is down for this unit. Although I do not see them winning this as well. India is like a fortress that many could not conquer.
 
AMSS said:
4 of these matches will be at HYD, Vizag, Ranchi and Rajkot. There's no winter to speak of in HYD and Vizag with day temp in 30s. Same with Rajkot by the time test match rolls there. Ranchi too is mild at best and if sun is out, players will be sweating.

Dharmshala is the only venue where it's proper cold but because of the elevation, the sunshine is super bright and warm. No player would be seen wearing a sweater there when out in the playing field.
Click to expand...
Don't compare with North saying it's not cold here, it's winter and might not reach single digit but it is cold in Hyderabad.

Vizag on other hand is on East coast, never gets colder over there.
 
TheNeutralist said:
Don't compare with North saying it's not cold here, it's winter and might not reach single digit but it is cold in Hyderabad.

Vizag on other hand is on East coast, never gets colder over there.
Click to expand...

Please. I am not a stranger to HYD. The winter is not just weak but spend an hour walking in the sun and you start sweating.
 
The secrets of multi-million pound Abu Dhabi venue where 20 ground staff prepare 65 wickets so Ben Stokes's England are ready for India onslaught

It is the superbly equipped but perhaps unlikely destination where England will prepare from afar for one of their toughest undertakings in Test cricket.

They are adamant that spending nine days in the world-class facilities of Abu Dhabi will give them everything they need to take on India when they make the final 1,600-mile leg of their journey to Hyderabad just three days before the first Test on January 25.

It was Steve Harmison who raised concerns about England’s surprising but thoroughly modern way of acclimatising for a demanding five-Test series when he described their plans to go into the first Test without any sort of match practice as ‘madness’.

But England are confident that, when they leave for the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, what awaits them will equip them perfectly to take on India on their own patch.

‘The facilities are ridiculously good,’ said former England spinner and now coach Graeme Swann, who was with the Lions at their Abu Dhabi training camp in November. ‘In that part of the world, they can give you what you want on request.

"If I said to the groundsman, “I’d like a day-nine Test pitch in India”, he was more than happy for me to go out there with my spikes on and create what England may well face.

'It’s brilliant. The way you’re able to prepare there is second to none and I wish we had it back in my day. We could never do the sort of training they do now. I wouldn’t accept at all that England will be under-done when they get to Hyderabad. They will arrive there ready to play in the first Test far more than if they had a tin-pot warm-up game in India.’

So, what exactly has made the Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports Hub, where England played two series when Pakistan made it their home in exile, the go-to venue for numerous international and elite teams?

The answer is 25,000 square metres of sporting excellence, including the $22million (£19.2m) Zayed Stadium, with cricket at the forefront. There are 65 pitches across four grounds and 22 contrasting outdoor turf nets where England, in theory, can replicate anything that India will throw at them over the next two months.

Not to mention 31 other sports to keep the players busy, including padel tennis, which has become something of a favourite of England cricketers, and, of course, the obligatory world-class golf courses they so enjoy within walking distance of their base.

It has all been done, unusually quietly and with subtlety not always associated with the region, since the Abu Dhabi government got involved four years ago in improving facilities and, perhaps, trying to eclipse the ICC-owned cricket facility in neighbouring Dubai. ‘The whole facility has undergone a complete transformation,’ said Matthew Boucher, the English CEO of Abu Dhabi Cricket for the last four years.

‘We’re very proud of what has been achieved here since the Abu Dhabi Sports Council came in and to have England, one of the world’s premier Test teams, choose us for their training camp is a huge feather in our cap. It’s our job to provide the best all-round facilities so that England can prepare as thoroughly as possible for any tour, not just India.'

The key for England is to be ready for the contrasting conditions the vastness of India can offer, not just the dust bowls and sharply turning pitches that saw them somewhat hijacked three years ago. They won the first Test but lost the series 3-1.

We don’t have specifics in terms of clay but all the wickets do have different behavioural results and then it’s up to England to decide what they best require,’ said Boucher. ‘We’ve got a team of 20 ground staff who have been with us for the last six to seven years and good international expertise among our management.

‘We talk to England and all our clients regularly to see how best we can provide the optimal surfaces and multi-sport offerings for their strength and conditioning teams. We hope to build on this. We have a good relationship with Afghanistan, for one, and we’re talking to other boards about camps and age-group cricket and that’s a big part of our future. Importantly, it’s a community facility now as well, as much as anything.’

Matt Jackson has been organising cricket trips for counties and other elite teams to the UAE through his company Sporta since 2007. He accompanied England managing director Rob Key and his No 2 Mo Bobat — who is leaving the ECB to take up a post with the IPL’s Royal Challengers Bangalore — on a fact-finding mission to Abu Dhabi that convinced them to base not only the Lions there late last year but now the full Test team.

‘They liked what they saw,’ said Jackson. ‘The thing is, you’re at the behest of what the Indian authorities give you if you play warm-ups there.

‘I know England have had issues in Australia, for instance, before Ashes series when they have been sent to places with perhaps not the ideal conditions to prepare.

‘With Abu Dhabi, they know exactly what they’re going to get. They talk to the groundsmen and they can provide what they want. The main groundsman is from the Subcontinent and he knows better than anyone what it will be like in India. We were the first company to start taking teams from the UK to Abu Dhabi, so we have seen the development all the way through.

‘In my opinion, it’s the best cricket facility in the world now. Not just because of the cricket but also the structure they’ve got around it.

‘They didn’t stop during Covid, either — they took the opportunity to take it to the next level. The gold standard was always the ICC Academy in Dubai but, as Abu Dhabi quite often does, they decided they couldn’t have Dubai having better facilities than them. It’s the capital, the largest Emirate and the power house of the UAE, so they wanted the best.’

The result, according to Jackson, is that England can start basing their women’s and age-group teams in Abu Dhabi ahead of tours, too, start leaving kit there for future visits and create a ‘Loughborough away from home’.

‘There is a relationship now which is developing between the facility and England,’ added Jackson. ‘India is only an hour and a half away and there’s only an hour and a half’s difference in time zone, so there’s no jet lag when they get there.

'The weather is pretty much the same, too, and it hardly ever rains in Abu Dhabi. England can get straight into it when they get there.’

And it is that, England believe, which will give them the best possible chance of plotting a huge upset and repeating their famous win in India in 2012. Only it will be done in a very different way.

DailyMail
 
Human786 said:
I wonder what the pitches at these newish TEST venues would be like as Jan & Feb are reasonably cold & absence of high temperatures will not result in surface cracking dramatically later in the game . Personally would like to see mildly dry pitches with day 1 surface looking like a day 2 surface , this would ensure decent batting conditions for 7 to 8 sessions & spinners coming in to the game majorly from then on .
Click to expand...
Presuming the pitch for 1st Test is what I hope it would , what would be the composition of English bowling attack @James in your opinion ? Me thinks Wood & Leach are certain starters , which other 2 bowlers would you pick & equally important , who would be the 5th bowling option as Wood should not be used for more than 16 overs in a innings ? I do not consider Root as a viable 5th bowling option !
 
Seamer Mohammed Shami has not been included in India's squad to play the first two Tests against England as he recovers from an ankle injury.

Shami has not played since the World Cup in November, where he starred with 24 wickets, but had been targeting a return against England.

In his absence, India have picked four spinners - Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav.

Uncapped pair Avesh Khan and Dhruv Jurel are also in the 16-strong squad.

Seamer Avesh has played eight one-day internationals and 19 T20s for India while Dhurel is uncapped in all formats.

He will compete for the gloves with KL Rahul, who kept in India's recent drawn series against South Africa, and KS Bharat.

India have not lost a home Test series since England's victory in 2012.

England have picked uncapped spinners Shoaib Bashir and Tom Hartley, plus quick Gus Atkinson in their squad.



BBC
 
Is this the end of the road for Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara in Tests?
Dhruv jurel selection ahead of Ishan becouse ishan Kishan is not available for selection .

Rohit
Jaiswal
Gill
👑
Iyer
Rahul( Wk)
Jadeja
Axar
Ashwin
Bumrah
Siraj

This should be playing eleven for 1st test .
 
After Mohammed Shami, Another Star India Pacer Gets Injured. Report Says He Is Doubtful For England Tests

Pacer Prasidh Krishna on Friday picked up a left quadriceps injury during Karnataka's Ranji Trophy match against Gujarat, casting a cloud of uncertainty over his availability for selection for the upcoming assignments, including India's home Test series against England. India pacer Prasidh limped out of the field after bowling 14.5 overs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad during the Group C match. The paceman picked up the wickets of Manan Hingrajia and Siddharth Desai as Karnataka bundled out Gujarat for 264 runs in 88 overs on the first day.

PTI understands while his MRI scans results are awaited, Prasidh is all set to miss the match against Gujarat.

However, his availability for the five-match home Test series against England, staring later this month, is yet to be ascertained.

But in general, quadriceps injury takes at least four to six weeks to heal as per its intensity.

The 27-year-old is currently under the care of Karnataka team physio, but as a BCCI contracted player, he can also link up with the India 'A' support staff, who are also in Ahmedabad as part of the two-day match against the touring England Lions.

Prasidh had made his Test debut during India's recent tour to South Africa after missing out on the action for nearly a year owing to a lumbar stress fracture.

However, his effort in the Test series against the Proteas was less than satisfactory after plucking just two wickets from as many matches, averaging 65. His economy too stood at 4.64.
​
SOURCE: NDTV
 
Ollie Pope: ‘If the pitches in India spin from ball one we won’t complain’

s a survivor from England’s 3-1 defeat in India three years ago, the pandemic tour in which they were spun out and then some, Ollie Pope could easily view the impending reunion with Ravichandran Ashwin and co with a sense of trepidation.

After all, pretty much everyone expects a similar diet of challenging tracks for the five-Test series that starts in Hyderabad on 25 January. A fairly heavy hint came after India’s recent 1-1 draw in South Africa, too, Rohit Sharma taking no issue with the extreme seaming conditions his side had faced “as long as everyone keeps their mouth shut” about Indian pitches.

But having been glued to that rapid-fire series from the comfort of his sofa in London, Pope sounds genuinely enticed by this prospect. A quick game is a good game, he says, and if there are any English grumbles about conditions – old powers moaning, as per Sunil Gavaskar in a recent newspaper column – they won’t come from the squad itself.

“There will be a lot of outside noise,” says Pope, speaking before England flew out to their Abu Dhabi training camp during the week. “And pitches can be a massive talking point. But you have to remember the two teams are playing on the exact same wicket, so we just need to be as well equipped as we can.

“In England we might leave more grass on the pitch to suit our amazing seamers, so it’s no surprise if India do the same to suit their spinners. And I actually think low-scoring Test matches [where ball has the edge over bat] are pretty amazing to watch.

“I saw a fair bit of South Africa versus India and it was great: guys scoring seriously tough runs and the ball flying through. The scores could be similar in India but if the pitches spin from ball one we won’t be complaining. It’s about finding a method to combat it.”

Those methods slightly evaporated last time, a 227-run win on a flat one in Chennai through Joe Root’s epic 218 followed by three successive defeats when the surfaces became more capricious. Pope passed 20 in four of his eight innings but 34 was his highest score – a chastening, and he says, instructive introduction to India.

“We had some young guys on that tour,” says Pope. “Myself, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes – it was our first India tour and we were probably taken by surprise when it turned from ball one [after the first Test]. But if we had read the pitch well enough and quickly enough …

“I look at the guys who were most successful, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant, they didn’t rotate strike a huge amount. That’s tough to do on those pitches, you can’t just work spin around like in England. You need a really solid defence but also four and six options, to hit the spinners off their length.


Interview

Ollie Pope: ‘If the pitches in India spin from ball one we won’t complain’

Ali Martin

The England vice-captain is ready to step up if Ben Stokes suffers an injury and has learned from his previous struggles in India

As a survivor from England’s 3-1 defeat in India three years ago, the pandemic tour in which they were spun out and then some, Ollie Pope could easily view the impending reunion with Ravichandran Ashwin and co with a sense of trepidation.

After all, pretty much everyone expects a similar diet of challenging tracks for the five-Test series that starts in Hyderabad on 25 January. A fairly heavy hint came after India’s recent 1-1 draw in South Africa, too, Rohit Sharma taking no issue with the extreme seaming conditions his side had faced “as long as everyone keeps their mouth shut” about Indian pitches.

But having been glued to that rapid-fire series from the comfort of his sofa in London, Pope sounds genuinely enticed by this prospect. A quick game is a good game, he says, and if there are any English grumbles about conditions – old powers moaning, as per Sunil Gavaskar in a recent newspaper column – they won’t come from the squad itself.

“There will be a lot of outside noise,” says Pope, speaking before England flew out to their Abu Dhabi training camp during the week. “And pitches can be a massive talking point. But you have to remember the two teams are playing on the exact same wicket, so we just need to be as well equipped as we can.

“In England we might leave more grass on the pitch to suit our amazing seamers, so it’s no surprise if India do the same to suit their spinners. And I actually think low-scoring Test matches [where ball has the edge over bat] are pretty amazing to watch.

“I saw a fair bit of South Africa versus India and it was great: guys scoring seriously tough runs and the ball flying through. The scores could be similar in India but if the pitches spin from ball one we won’t be complaining. It’s about finding a method to combat it.”

Those methods slightly evaporated last time, a 227-run win on a flat one in Chennai through Joe Root’s epic 218 followed by three successive defeats when the surfaces became more capricious. Pope passed 20 in four of his eight innings but 34 was his highest score – a chastening, and he says, instructive introduction to India.

“We had some young guys on that tour,” says Pope. “Myself, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes – it was our first India tour and we were probably taken by surprise when it turned from ball one [after the first Test]. But if we had read the pitch well enough and quickly enough …

“I look at the guys who were most successful, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant, they didn’t rotate strike a huge amount. That’s tough to do on those pitches, you can’t just work spin around like in England. You need a really solid defence but also four and six options, to hit the spinners off their length.

Ollie Pope’s Ashes summer came to a premature end after he dislocated his shoulder at Lord’s. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

“The danger ball last time was the one that went straight on – the ones that spun almost spun too much. It’s like in England when the [seaming] ball goes past your outside edge, you play it well with soft hands or miss it. It’s a case of being at peace with being beaten – that’s almost a win if you’re covering [lbw and bowled].”

Four and six options are very much England’s thing these days, their Test cricket transformed since that wretched tour. A self-fulfilling sense of doom appeared to set in back then – amplified by the Covid bubble restrictions, no question – but there has been a commitment to positive thinking under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum since.

Their collective aggression has not yet been truly tested in a spin-dominated series, however, albeit day one against Pakistan in Multan last winter, when England ransacked 281 in 51 overs for what proved a match-winning first-innings total, is perhaps one such experience. As Pope puts it, a run-a-ball 60 could well be a match-winning contribution.

The right-hander is among those to prosper in the current environment. As well as finding a home at No 3, where he averages 45 and has seen his strike rate jump from 50 to 77, Pope has been elevated to vice-captain. The 26-year-old says he has mentally prepared himself to lead should Stokes suffer an injury, the plan to deliver the same messaging “but in my own way”.

A sense of unfinished business comes across, too, after Pope’s Ashes summer was ruined midway through the second Test by a dislocated shoulder. It was the third of his career, this time on his right side and, like the left one, requiring surgery. He should slot straight back in, although with Foakes pushing to return given his specialism keeping to the spinners, a member of the regular top seven may well make way.

Pope’s case is helped by his prowess at short leg, a position few relish – Essex apparently paid danger money to fielders stationed there in the late 1980s – but he genuinely appears to. “I might put that one forward,” he laughs, when that old bonus system at Chelmsford is mentioned. “It’s actually really fun and on spinning pitches can almost be as important as wicketkeeper – taking half-chances can be the difference between winning and losing.

“I’m not much of a chirper there, it’s more about presence. India are really good at it. When you start an innings, they have men around the bat and really create an atmosphere. That’s what we want to do: to add that little bit of pressure, get the new batter pushing a bit harder and maybe create a chance.” Under the lid, with bat in hand or even leading the side, Pope seemingly can’t wait for another spin cycle.
​
The Guardian
 
Great attitude by Pope. Yes it's the "same " pitch for both the teams. After all its "test " cricket and supposed to be a test of your ability mental strength and determination. I want the pitches to be unique in each country. That's the challenge and beauty of test cricket. Champion teams dont complain about pitches. Like to see prodigious swing in eng nz , spin in SC, good varied tracks in aus, bouncy with some inconsistency in sa..

Boring to see tests on flat roads.. the ball turning and gripping or seaming and swinging is more exciting to watch. That's why I think pak missed a trick when eng and aus toured- they should have prepared a turning spitting pitch like Bangladesh instead of the flat tracks they prepared.
 
Sounds like a sharply spinning pitch will be prepared for the 1st Test. I like it. A great examination for England and good experience for the likes of Crawley and Pope.

A flat wicket would suit England down to the ground with their batting style. I don’t think we will be seeing any of those - even if it means that India lose one of the Test matches due to the challenging conditions, as even Leach and Root will be dangerous on a turner.
 
Nasser Hussain believes India fans are waiting to see how their side can put England's Bazball strategy to bed when they tour the sub-continent later this month.

The tour has already promised some exciting storylines with the inclusion of Ben Stokes in the squad following his knee surgery, debutant spinners in Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir and India's World Cup star Mohammed Shami missing the first two matches because of injury.

England last won a Test series in India 12 years ago under the captaincy of Alastair Cook where spin twins Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar starred in the momentous 2-1 triumph.

"There's been a lot of talk about Indian cricket and there's been a lot of talk about Bazball," said Hussain on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast.

"My sense in the World Cup was that a lot of Indian fans are waiting to see how to put Bazball to bed.

"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."

SKY Sports
 
TNT Sports are set to seal a five-year deal for exclusive rights to international cricket in India... with the broadcaster set to show England's five-match Test series against Rohit Sharma's men from next week.

TNT Sports are set to secure a five-year contract for exclusive rights to international cricket in India in a deal that cements their status as the home of England's overseas tours.

The long-term deal will also give greater certainty to cricket supporters, who were left waiting to discover whether any broadcaster would pick up the rights to England's five-Test series in India which begins next week.

As Mail Sport reported on Tuesday, TNT Sports are set to beat streaming platform DAZN to secure those rights, and it is understood that the discussions have also led to agreement on a five-year deal.

England return to India for a white-ball tour featuring three one-day internationals and three T20's next January, as well as another five Test tour without a confirmed date, both of which will be covered by the incoming new deal with TNT Sports.

In a complex process India's global TV rights were sold by the BCCI last year to media agency Pitch Agency, who are responsible for selling them on to individual broadcasters in each market.

Sky Sports opted not to bid as they are focussed on covering England's home series and major global events such as the World Cup and T20 World Cup, while there was no concrete interest shown by terrestrial broadcasters.

Channel 4 secured an 11th-hour deal to show England's previous Test tour to India three years, although that was seen as a one-off as the country was still in the midst of lockdown restrictions providing a captive audience for television.

TNT Sports' successful bid means they are now hold exclusive rights for the majority of England's overseas tours.

In its previous guise of BT Sport they have shown England's last two Ashes tours and currently have exclusive rights for all international cricket that takes place in Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies.

Sky Sports have the rights for England tours to South Africa and Pakistan, but are increasingly focusing their winter offering on franchise cricket such as the Big Bash League in Australia and SA20 in South Africa, both of which it is currently showing.

There are no plans for TNT to send a commentary team to India and they are set to rely on the world feed, but former England captain's Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan have been lined up to provide expert analysis in the studio.

DailyMail

www.dailymail.co.uk

EXC: TNT Sports set to secure rights to international cricket in India

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: England return to India for a white-ball tour featuring three one-day internationals and three T20's next January, as well as another five Test tour without a date.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk
 
MANU ROY said:
His still far better than Mukesh Avesh and prasidh india not utilized enough Bhuvneshwar Kumar in test
Click to expand...
What will bhuvi brings to the team in indian conditions.he was hammered in Adelaide and in what way he has surpassed the wc finals pace trio .we need only 2 bowlers ,if its sharp spinning pitches then only one pacer is required.
 
Devadwal said:
Is this the end of the road for Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara in Tests?
Dhruv jurel selection ahead of Ishan becouse ishan Kishan is not available for selection .

Rohit
Jaiswal
Gill
👑
Iyer
Rahul( Wk)
Jadeja
Axar
Ashwin
Bumrah
Siraj

This should be playing eleven for 1st test .
Click to expand...


Perfect, this is the most possible team that we will play with 2 pacers and 3 spinners. ( Axar, Ashwin and Jaddu can bat as well)
Iyer can't survive outside the subcontinent, but he is a beast in home conditions. We need him in India on spin pitches.
 
MANU ROY said:
His still far better than Mukesh Avesh and prasidh india not utilized enough Bhuvneshwar Kumar in test
Click to expand...

Who said we need Avesh or Prasidh? Neither of them are fit to play test cricket for India.

Mukesh isn't great either.

Bhuvi kumar was good for 2-3 years when he started bowling in 140s. After that he is Rubbish.
 
Devadwal said:
Is this the end of the road for Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara in Tests?
Dhruv jurel selection ahead of Ishan becouse ishan Kishan is not available for selection .

Rohit
Jaiswal
Gill
👑
Iyer
Rahul( Wk)
Jadeja
Axar
Ashwin
Bumrah
Siraj

This should be playing eleven for 1st test .
Click to expand...
That is one monster of a team in Indian conditions. One of the best teams you could ever assemble for subcontinent conditions.
 

England's tour of India will be their toughest challenge yet, says Steven Finn​


England have named uncapped spin pair Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir in their squad. Steven Finn believes England's tour of India will be their toughest challenge yet and remains adamant "superhuman" James Anderson has still got plenty to give.

Finn was part of the England side that toured India 12 years ago under Alastair Cook's captaincy where spin duo Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar starred in the momentous 2-1 series triumph.

India have not lost a home Test series since England's win nine years ago and Finn believes the result of the series starting later this month will show how far the team has come under under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's leadership.

"There's no doubt this is the toughest challenge an England team can face," the former England seam bowler told Sky Sports. "I think it's really a true mark of where a team is at, when you go to India and you've the conditions up against you.

Nasser Hussain: India fans waiting to see Bazball put to bed
Injured Mohammed Shami left out as India name Test squad to face England
Graeme Swann: How England beat India in 2012
What cricket is live on Sky Sports? | Stream the best sport with NOW
"The way the team have played, they are going to try and counter this in a different way than anyone has done it before, which is going to be entertaining to watch. Whether it’ll bring about a different result at the end of it, I don’t know."

Finn played alongside Anderson in the third Test in 2012 when England won by seven wickets.

More than a decade later, 41-year-old Anderson, who has 690 Test wickets, remains part of the England set up as they jet off to India.

Source : Sky News
 
England Lions destroy India a side India A need 480 runs just 8 wickets left
 
Official Statement - Harry Brook

Harry Brook is set to return home with immediate effect for personal reasons from the England Men’s Test tour of India. He will not be returning to India.

The Brook family respectfully requests privacy during this time. In light of this, the ECB and the family kindly request the media and the public to respect their wish for privacy and refrain from intruding on their private space.

The England selectors will confirm a replacement player for the tour in due course.

ECB​
 
hope Harry and his family are ok.

some disgraceful comments on Twitter about this already.
 
Not sold on this England side to put up a strong fight.

Stokes as bowler was always useless in India so it's a chance for him to play some memorable knocks in this tour. His record in India is poor.

Root has done well in India and might be used as 5th bowler too but aside of him, not much to rely on.

Bairstow will be good on patta but embarassing on turners.
 
MEDIA ADVISORY

January 22, 2024

England's tour of India, 2023-24

Virat Kohli withdraws from first two Tests citing personal reasons

Mr. Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons.

Virat has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasized that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention.

The BCCI respects his decision and the Board and team management has extended its support to the star batter and is confident in the abilities of the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series.

The BCCI requests the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli's privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons. The focus should remain on supporting the Indian cricket team as they embark on the upcoming challenges in the Test series.

The Men’s Selection Committee will name a replacement soon.

JAY SHAH

Honorary Secretary

BCCI

========================================

Has the hunger for runs dwindled for Kohli?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Human786 said:
any thoughts about what could be the English bowling attack for 1st Test ?
Click to expand...
Anderson, Leach, Robinson, Rehan, Root ?

Honestly, I think it'll be interesting.

Jimmy has averaged 100 + in his last 9 bowling innings.

And they might want to go for an extra seamer.

So we might even see Atkinson/Robinson/Wood/Leach/Root.

Lots of possibilities.
 
Go with geninue pace and bowl a lot of short stuff into the body. But then I guess England don't have these sort of bowlers.
Throughout cricket history the fast and short ball has always psychologically unsettled the batsman. From Larwood to Holdings to Mitchell Johnson, this strategy often works.

Eagerly waiting for this encounter!
 
England captain Ben Stokes is "good to go" for the first Test against India in Hyderabad on Thursday, says coach Brendon McCullum

Stokes, 32, had surgery on a long-standing left-knee problem in November.

He trained with the squad on their camp in Abu Dhabi last week, but did not bowl and is not expected to do so throughout the five-Test series.

"He looks like a greyhound. He's put the work in, everyone knows his work ethic is phenomenal," said McCullum.

England arrived in India on Sunday and trained for the first time at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium on Monday.

On Stokes, McCullum added: "I've seen him running around and I think he's good to go. We'll obviously make that call as late as what we need to. But he's put all the work in, and we'll just have to wait and see."

England were without batter Harry Brook, who has returned to the UK for personal reasons, and uncapped spinner Shoaib Bashir, whose visa has been delayed.

Bashir, 20, is of Pakistani origin and currently in Abu Dhabi, accompanied by Stuart Hooper, England's managing director of cricket operations.

Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, 19, whose family are also from Pakistan, has been able to travel to India with the rest of the squad.

"Things take time, don't they?" said McCullum. "Everyone is doing what they can. It's a process we need to go through. We're pretty confident that we're close.

"The time that Bash had with the squad over in Abu Dhabi, where he fitted in seamlessly, will serve him greatly. We've also got a little bit of support out there for him so he's not on his own.

"We're hoping the news will come through today that his visa has been approved, then we'll get him to sink his teeth into this series."

Brook's departure was announced on Sunday, with the Yorkshire batter initially ruled out for the rest of the series.

England have since clarified that Brook could return to a tour that lasts until March, but in his absence Dan Lawrence arrives as replacement later on Monday.

Also on Monday, India announced that batter Virat Kohli has withdrawn from the first two Tests for personal reasons.

Without Brook, England look set to recall fit-again vice-captain Ollie Pope at number three and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes, who was left out of the entire home summer.

Foakes took the gloves in practice on Monday, with Jonny Bairstow doing fielding practice seemingly in preparation to play as a specialist batter.

"Obviously our thoughts are with Harry and his family, it's a tough time," said New Zealander McCullum.

"It's a privileged position to play cricket for a living but some things are more important than that.

"We wish him all the best and hopefully the next little period for Brooky is as comfortable as it possibly can be. There's a chance he may return later in the tour but for now we just want him to be with his family and do his thing."

England have not lost a Test series since Stokes and McCullum took charge in the summer of 2022, but a tour of India is their toughest assignment to date.

India have not lost a home series since England won here in 2012. On England's past two tours, in 2016 and 2021, they have lost 4-0 and 3-1 respectively.

"That's what I love about this series - we are going to be tested, and our methods are going to be challenged and we'll see where we are at," said McCullum. "It's a pretty exciting opportunity.

"In the end all you're trying to do is get guys in the frame of mind where they're totally present in the moment, they feel 10 foot tall and bulletproof when they walk out to play. Then it's allowing their skills and their talents to come out, make quick assessments of what they need to do in the moment.

"We've got to take 20 wickets with the ball in each Test match and we've got to get one more run than them with the bat. It's not rocket science but it will be the nuances of the game, when to stick and when to twist which will be the fascinating part."

Source: BBC Sport

 
Pujara and Sarfraz can be replaced. Scoring heavily so can be a good option.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

The Bald Eagle
England tour of Pakistan (2024)
2
Replies
100
Views
3K
BouncerGuy
BouncerGuy
FearlessRoar
  • Poll
Sri Lanka tour of England (2024)
3 4 5
Replies
396
Views
5K
sweep_shot
sweep_shot
BouncerGuy
England name ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad
Replies
72
Views
2K
FearlessRoar
FearlessRoar
C
Pakistan (344 & 37/1) secure a historical win by 9 wickets against England (267 & 112) in the third Test match to win the series 2-1
3 4 5
Replies
378
Views
4K
Bilal Ahmad15
Bilal Ahmad15
BouncerGuy
  • Poll
[VIDEOS] Will England's inexperienced pace-attack for the 3-match Test series provide a ray of hope for Pakistan?
Replies
36
Views
714
FearlessRoar
FearlessRoar
Back
Top