Ian Chappell believes India have the perfect opportunity to win Test series in England

Sport360 staff 18:08 10/06/2018
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  • In good shape: Virat Kohli's India team should expose England's weaknesses

    Ex-Australia captain Ian Chappell believes India are well placed to win the Test series if they can expose England’s weaknesses during the five-match encounter.

    The Indians take on Joe Root’s side with teh first Test starting in Edgbaston on August 1 with the tourists looking for their first Test series win on English soil since their 1-0 triumph in 2007. Since then they lost 4-0 in 2011 and 3-1 in 2014.

    England go into the series on the back of a 1-1 Test draw with Pakistan but have problems of their own with team selection and form of key players including Alastair Cook an issue.

    And Chappell believes that is a massive advantage for India.

    “There’s a rare opportunity beckoning for India – the chance to beat both England and Australia in away Test series. England are in a state of flux after a devastating loss at Lord’s and then a less-than-convincing win over the predictably inconsistent Pakistan at Headingley,” Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo.

    “England’s top-order collapses are now a regular occurrence, which is not surprising when both opening positions are under a cloud. If it weren’t for the fact that Alastair Cook’s numerous partners have been under intense scrutiny, Cook himself would be in jeopardy.

    “Two classic Cook double-centuries can’t mask the fact that in his last 29 Test innings – a period of 12 months – he has had 19 scores under 20, including ten single-figure dismissals. If an opener isn’t making centuries regularly then he has to ensure the opposition doesn’t get at the middle order while the ball is still new. Too often Cook is doing neither.”

    The 74-year-old was also unconvinced by off-spinner Dom Bess, who went wicketless in the first Test against Pakistan before taking three scalps in the second.

    “Smith’s (Chairman of selectors Ed Smith) other notable choice in his selection debut was off-spinner Dom Bess, an energetic and effervescent cricketer.

    “His batting and desire to be involved in the contest are laudable but the early signs are that his offspin won’t threaten an Indian team bred on facing this type of bowler regularly. In one over at Headingley, Bess delivered more full tosses than R Ashwin offers up in a year, a prospect that players like Virat Kohli and M Vijay should be relishing.”

    But he believes James Anderson, who will miss six weeks after deciding to rest his long-standing shoulder injury, will be crucial for England.

    Key player for England: James Anderson

    Key player for England: James Anderson

    “Apart from the openers’ batting, England’s other major problem on the tour of Australia and New Zealand was that the pace attack comprised all right-arm bowlers of similar speed.

    “Their inability to unearth a genuine pace bowler is a greater problem when they are overseas, but if the late UK summer is hot and dry, they will also need someone who can shake things up on home pitches in an attempt to dramatically change the course of a game.

    “There is no doubt that the swing bowling of Jimmy Anderson will present the Indian line-up with a serious challenge, and if there’s movement off the seam, Stuart Broad will also be a handful. Nevertheless India have the stronger batting line-up of the two teams and their variety in attack could help negate England’s middle-order strength if the openers continue to fail.”

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