Former India spinner warns England ahead of 1st Test against India

India will be hosting England for the 5-match Test series that is scheduled to commence on 25th January. The Men in Blue have not lost a series with England in the last 10 years at home and the last when India and England had a face-off for the 5-match series was in the year 2012-13. The three Lions had played an explosive brand of cricket in the longest format of the game. Their 'Bazball' have somewhat faced backlash on the side as well but it has helped them to win several games. India has won 16 consecutive home Test series, including 4-0 and 3-1 wins against England in 2016-17 and 2020-21.

Many former cricketers have warned the side that the Bazball will not be the spin-friendly conditions of India. With the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel, the English side might be clean-swept in the series. Former World Cup winner Harbhajan Singh has been the recent one to comment on the matter. He believes that the Bazball approach will not work in India owing to the spin-friendly conditions. The legendary off-spinner believes England spinners could help them compete in India if they can get purchased from the surface.  

The critique comes as the visitors' spin department only includes Jack Leach, as an experienced spinner. The left-arm pacer spinner took 18 wickets in the four-match Test series against India in 2020-21. Apart from Leach, Rehan Ahmed has only played one Test in Pakistan, where he took seven wickets. Meanwhile, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir are yet to make their Test debuts.

The conditions are going to be pretty difficult: Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh said, as per Hindustan Times, "Bazball won’t work. The conditions are going to be pretty difficult for England. Pitches will turn from the first day, and if you have an accurate spinner, he will take wickets."On both sides, actually. Toss becomes pretty important on such wickets. I don’t think England have a chance unless there isn’t much to offer for spinners."

Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel, in particular, bagged 32 and 27 wickets, respectively, during the last Test series between the two teams in India.