Former England captain Michael Vaughan has warned India not to prepare rank-turners for the five-match test series against England, which begins on January 25 in Hyderabad. England is still the only team to defeat India in a Test series at home.
England has been playing an aggressive brand of cricket in the longer format of the game and has had incredible success in test cricket in recent years. Ben Stokes-led side has been so naive in the face of the spinning ball in Indian conditions. However, the team under Brendon McCullum would look to turn things around in the five-match series to continue their dominance in red-ball cricket.
In his Telegraph column, Michael Vaughan believes that if the ball begins to turn from the ball one, Jack Leach, Rehan Ahmed, and the other English spinners will enter the picture as they can run through Indian batters in spin-friendly conditions.
“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,” Michael Vaughan said.
Jack Leach took 18 wickets in four Tests during England’s last series in India and would lead England’s spin bowling attack in India. Young Rehan Ahmed took seven wickets in a single Test during England’s visit to Pakistan in 2022-23. Meanwhile, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir are yet to make their Test debuts.
I Think India’s Batting Can Be Vulnerable – Michael Vaughan
Michael Vaughan believes that England bowlers can bowl out the Indian batters if the balls spin large on Day 1 of the contest.
“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,” Michael Vaughan added.
The visitors won their last Test series against India 2-1 in 2012-13. Since then, India has won 16 consecutive home Tests, including 4-0 and 3-1 wins over England in 2016-17 and 2020-21. Ben Stokes has led England to 13 wins in 19 games, with one draw. Under his leadership, they have never lost a Test series.
