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Former English batsman Michael Atherton has expressed his belief that India is the favourite in the eagerly awaited five-match Test series against England, set to take place at home. Atherton's confidence in India stems from their superior spin bowling capabilities, particularly in subcontinental conditions, which he deems crucial for success in the series.
Atherton emphasizes the strength of India's spinners, pointing to their proven track record in similar playing environments. In contrast, he highlights the relative lack of experience among England's spinners on Indian pitches, identifying this as a potential obstacle for the visiting team.
"I believe India will emerge victorious. Their spinners outclass England's, and that will ultimately be the deciding factor. When you play in India, spin always plays a significant role, historically and likely always will. India also boasts a robust seam attack," stated Atherton during an interview on Sky Sports.
The series is scheduled to commence on January 25 in Hyderabad, following England's 11-day preparation camp in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The England squad is expected to arrive in India on January 21 with high expectations of securing their first Test series win on Indian soil in over a decade.
England's last triumph in India occurred under Alastair Cook's leadership in 2012, resulting in a 2-1 series victory. The spin-friendly nature of Indian pitches is anticipated to be a crucial factor in the upcoming series.
India has named a spin-heavy 16-player squad for the initial two Tests, featuring prominent spinners such as Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel. In contrast, England's squad includes four spinners: experienced left-arm spinner Jack Leach, leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, and newcomers Tom Hartley (left-arm spinner) and Shoaib Bashir (off-spinner). Among them, only Leach has prior experience playing Test cricket in India.
"India's four spinners offer a varied skill set compared to England's. They have two left-arm finger spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, a wrist spinner in Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who is considered one of the greatest spinners of all time," commented Atherton.
"England has a dependable left-arm spinner in Jack Leach, but beyond that, there are three very inexperienced spinners in Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, and Rehan Ahmed. It will be a particular challenge for them, but the selectors see a high potential for their growth," he added.
India holds an impressive record of 16 consecutive home Test series wins following their defeat to England in 2012. This remarkable streak underscores their dominance in home conditions and sets the stage for an intriguing contest between two cricketing powerhouses. The upcoming series is poised to be a test of strategy and skill, with particular emphasis on the spin department, where India's experience and expertise could prove decisive against England's relatively inexperienced spin attack.
Meanwhile, England has been dealt a significant setback as Harry Brook has withdrawn from the Test series against India. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on January 21 that Harry Brook will be returning to the UK immediately, citing personal reasons.
In a noteworthy development, Dan Lawrence has been named as the replacement for Harry Brook.
Initially, the ECB's announcement suggested that the Yorkshire batsman had pulled out of the entire series. However, there is now speculation that he might rejoin the team in India at a later date.
"The Brook family respectfully requests privacy during this time. In light of this, the ECB and the family kindly request the media and the public to respect their wish for privacy and refrain from intruding on their private space," stated the ECB.
Harry Brook was part of England's training session in the UAE, where the team prepared for subcontinental conditions. The Ben Stokes-led England team has already arrived in Hyderabad on January 21 for the first Test, scheduled to begin on January 25.
Brook's withdrawal poses a significant challenge to England's aspirations of becoming the first team to win a Test series in India in over a decade. Since making his debut in the last Test of the 2022 summer, Brook has maintained an impressive average of 62.15 with a strike rate of 91.76 across 12 matches, including four centuries.
Having temporarily moved up to No. 3 in the Ashes lineup due to Ollie Pope's season-ending shoulder injury, Brook's absence requires England to rethink their middle-order configuration, especially with Pope now fit for the India series.
In Brook's absence, England may consider utilizing Jonny Bairstow primarily as a batsman, potentially occupying the No. 5 position, while Ben Foakes could take on wicketkeeping duties.
The current England squad includes Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Shoaib Bashir, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, and Mark Wood.
On the other hand, India's squad for the first two Tests against England comprises Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), and Avesh Khan.
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