IND vs ENG: Nasser Hussain hands Bazball warning to India, says rank-turners in Test series might backfire

Former England captain Nasser Hussain said on Monday that India will shoot themselves in the foot if they prepare pitches that offer assistance to spinners from Day 1 in the upcoming 5-Test series between the two sides, starting January 25. Hussain said the new-look England team, under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, will not think twice before taking the aggressive route as Bazball is all set for its debut in India.

India have paid the price for offering rank-turners to visiting Test teams in the past. Australia, as recently as last year, won a Test in Indore when Nathan Lyon picked up 11 wickets to outspin the Indian spinners.

It remains to be seen what kind of pitches India will offer the visiting England side, especially after all the chatter over the pitch that was used for the New Year’s Test between South Africa and India in Cape Town. Despite sealing a historic win in the 2nd Test of the 2-match series, India captain Rohit Sharma brought up the pitch debate, urging visiting teams not to complain if they are offered turning pitches in India. Rohit had expressed his disappointment with the nature of the Cape Town pitch, which hosted the shortest Test match ever as India wrapped up proceedings in the 5th session.

“‘I think what India should do is ask for good pitches that spin a bit because I think their spinners and batters will then out-bat and out-spin ours,” Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports.

”If they ask for pitches that spin a lot then it becomes a bit of a lottery and brings England’s spinners into the game. The way Bazball goes about its business, they won’t die wondering,” he added.

CAN INDIA PUT BAZBALL TO BED?

England have named a spin-heavy squad for the 5-Test series with an uncapped duo of Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir joining Rehan Ahmed and Jack Leach. India also have 4 spinners as Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav join hands with R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

England are no strangers to winning a Test series in India as an Alastair Cook-led side stunned India in a 4-Test series in 2012. Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar weaved magic, helping England clinch a 2-1 win. Notably, Cook’s side is the last travelling side to beat India in a Test series in India.

The current England side is high on confidence as their aggressive approach, famously dubbed as Bazball, has worked wonders for them since Stokes and McCullum joined hands.

“My sense in the World Cup was that a lot of Indian fans are waiting to see how to put Bazball to bed,” Hussain said, predicting an entertaining contest over the next 2 months.

India vs England, Test series schedule

India are heading into the series on the back of a confidence-boosting series draw in South Africa. India will be looking to dominate England, considering crucial World Test Championship points are up for grabs.

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