Hyderabad: England’s “Bazball” offensive style confronts its most difficult challenge yet when they face an India team that has not lost a home Test series in more than a decade.
The five-Test series begins on Thursday in Hyderabad, and despite the fact that India will be without Virat Kohli for the first two matches due to personal reasons, they are strong favourites to win.
The last team to defeat India at home was England, which won a four-match series 2-1 under Alastair Cook.
Monty Panesar, a member of that team, said the visitors had nothing to fear in a series where spin is expected to play a significant role.
“England have every chance of winning Tests out there,” the former England spinner told talkSPORT.
“They must have a positive mindset. “Ben Stokes must consider whether Bazball can be successful on turning pitches.”That is obviously going to be his toughest challenge.”
Skipper Stokes and England prepped in Abu Dhabi rather than playing a tour match in India, which sparked criticism at home and raised concerns that England would be “undercooked”.
