Cricket
India v England preview: Can Bazball upstage India’s home comforts?
India’s undisputed supremacy on home turf over the past 12 years faces a distinctive challenge on Thursday when Ben Stokes’ England visit Hyderabad.
The first match of a five-Test series marks a pivotal moment for Rohit Sharma’s team. Since their 2012 defeat against Alastair Cook’s England, India have been unrivalled at home, securing 16 consecutive series victories, including seven clean sweeps.
We preview the action below.
India v England – Thursday 04:00
India have only suffered three losses in 44 Tests played on their home grounds during since England last won here. This dominance surpasses even the formidable West Indies of the ’80s and the turn-of-the-century Australian team, and even this exciting and energetic England side will know that they have a huge task on their hands to merely win a single Test.
Two players have been standout performers in this remarkable run – off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja. The spotlight will be on the Ashwin-Jadeja duo at Hyderabad’s RGI Stadium, who will be confident in their ability to exploit the turning and gripping nature of the pitch.
England, having experienced the prowess of the duo in previous visits, will particularly worry about Ashwin’s impact. Despite being 37 years old, Ashwin continues to display the enthusiasm of someone 20 years younger than him, amassing 283 wickets at an average just over 19 since 2012. While Jadeja may be seen as a supporting figure, his straight deliveries on a turning track pose a significant threat. Together, they have claimed 500 wickets at an average of 21.
England will be aware that no amount of preparation involving scuffing up pitches some 1600 miles away in Abu Dhabi will be enough to tackle the threat posed by the Indian attack, and in that sense, they will also need to tame the demons inside their own minds. They are 11/4 outsiders to win the first Test and a 7/1 shot to win the series.
What could work for them is that India will not have the presence and solidity of Virat Kohli at Number 4, as he has skipped the opening two Tests owing to personal reasons, though England themselves will be without arguably their most in-form batsmen in Harry Brook.
Despite Kohli’s absence, India remain a formidable opponent and start as the 4/9 favourites to take a 1-0 lead, while they are 1/6 to win the series. The introduction of middle-order batter Rajat Patidar is expected, with Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul taking up key batting positions. Although England recently won a Test series in Pakistan last year, the proven match-winners in the Indian team present a distinctive and daunting challenge.
While England possess the potential to cause an upset, the odds seem stacked against them. Test cricket’s unpredictability leaves room for extraordinary spectacles, and the upcoming clash in Hyderabad adds an element of suspense to whether it will be another Indian triumph or a surprising turn of events.
