Team India is geared up for the upcoming five-match Test series against England. The first Test will kick-start from Thursday in Hyderabad. Team India’s bowling unit consists of Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mukesh Kumar in the pace department. On the other hand, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja will handle the spin department. Ahead of the first Test, former England skipper Michael Vaughan has warned the Indian team of preparing overly spin-friendly pitches in the series.
Vaughan stated that if India implement rank turners, then Jack Leach will be playing a crucial for England. The Ben Stokes-led side have got Leach, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir as their spinners.
“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,” Vaughan wrote in his column for the Telegraph.
“Equally, when the ball spins big, I think India’s batting can be vulnerable, and England will bowl them out. If the pitches are flatter, India will score thousands, and also have the bowlers to work England out,” he added.
Earlier, former England skipper Michael Atherton stated India’s superior spin attack will win them the Test series against Ben Stokes and Co.
“I think India will win. Their spinners are better than England’s and that will be the defining thing in the end,” Atherton had told Skysports.
“If you go to India, spin will play a big part, it historically has done and I suspect it always will do. India do have a very strong seam attack as well,” he added.
(With PTI Inputs)
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