Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison has expressed his criticism over the Ben Stokes-led side’s preparations for their upcoming five-match test series against England. The tour is scheduled to begin on January 25 in Hyderabad, and England is reportedly planning to travel to India just three days before the start date, after finishing their preparations in the United Arab Emirates.
The challenging and tough spin-friendly conditions in India will surely put Ben Stokes and Co.’s aggressive style of play to the ultimate test in the red-ball format of the game. England has won only one Test in their previous two red-ball visits to India, but they are the only team to have won a Test series there.
Speaking on Talk Sport, Steve Harmison is not pleased with England’s devised plan for the series. He believes that an impending whitewash will be thoroughly deserved and also wishes to hear the opinion of his former teammates on England’s strategy to visit India only three days before the start of the tour.
“If England go in 3 days before, they deserve to get beat 5-0. They really do. I’m an old man, that is what they are going to say, the times have changed, the game has changed, but I tell you, preparation has not changed. You can’t go into India underprepared. In fact, you cannot go to India overprepared as well, you can be in India for six weeks before and still not be prepared for that first Test.”
“I would love to know what Pietersen, Strauss, Cook, in that great side, the only side that has won there in 2012, what they would think when they hear that England will go to India like three days before the series. I think they would laugh at you,” Steve Harmison said.
England has announced their 16-man squad for the five-Test series against India next month. The squad includes three players who have not yet played for England – fast bowler Gus Atkinson, as well as spinners Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir. These players will get a chance to prove themselves in the challenging conditions of India as England aims to win their first Test series against India since 2012.
You Would Never Go To Australia Three Days Before For The Gabba – Steve Harmison
Steve Harmison has expressed his admiration for the new aggressive approach of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum in the longer format of the game. However, he has also questioned whether the team will go to Australia just three days before the Ashes series compared to their decision to go to India just three days before the tour. These tours are the biggest events on England’s international cricketing calendar.
“I love this new approach, I love the Stokes-McCullum approach, Rob Key, and everything that they have done. But, I’m sorry, going in three days before, you would never do that for an Ashes series. You would never go to Australia three days before for The Gabba, so why go three days before for Hyderabad? It is not the new world, it is player power. That’s all it is, it is people backing down to players,” Steve Harmison added.
The England squad will travel to the UAE in mid-January for a preparatory camp before arriving in India soon before the first Test on January 25 in Hyderabad. England Lions group will also accompany the main team on their journey to India.
England Squad: Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood
