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London, July 20
Former England off-spinner Graeme Swann foresees a strong Indian comeback in the next month’s Test series against England if the ball fails to swing, the chances of which are high due to a warmer-than-usual English summer.
India lost the ODI series 1-2, giving England the bragging rights ahead of the five-match Test series starting August 1 in Birmingham. But Swann said things might just change for the better for the visitors in the longest format.
“If the ball doesn’t swing, England will have to rely on reverse swing later on. James Anderson is not the same bowler with the older ball because by the time it starts reverse swinging, Kohli will be 60-70 not out,” Swann said. “England did well last time because Jimmy had the new ball swinging. It’s just not Indians who don’t do well against swing. Every batsman in the world doesn’t like it when the ball swings around especially when Anderson is bowling,” he said.
“If it swings, England will win the Test series easily but if it doesn’t, and I don’t think it will, I think it will be a brilliant series. England don’t have a great spin attack in the Test series, so again India hold all the aces in that department too,” he said. Speaking of spinners, Swann said Kuldeep Yadav should play in the first Test ahead of either R Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja. But he also warned against over-exposing the left-arm wrist spinner. Swann said he would definitely start Yadav ahead of Ashwin and Jadeja, because it wasn’t necessary to field both the latter two in the English conditions.”
Kohli vs Anderson
The other key contest during the Test series will be the renewed battle between Virat Kohli and James Anderson. “He (Kohli) is probably embarrassed by the last tour here because he is such a good player and that was not the Virat Kohli we know. He probably wants to right that wrong. And it is in his favour at the moment because the ball is not swinging. The hot weather we have been having, it is unseasonal, and there is no moisture around in the air or in the ground. That makes the ball swing in England and it has not been swinging,” said Swann.
Looking back at the ODI and T20I series, the former spinner said, “England still have got some glaring weaknesses against spin and they were highlighted there. It was same for India, who thought England will be a walkover after the first ODI. Lord’s was a bit of wake up call for India as well.” — PTI
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