ENG vs IND | 'Don't write India off' – Nasser Hussain warns England ahead of the fourth Test
After England's thumping victory against India by an innings and 76 runs in the third Test at Headingley, Nasser Hussain has warned the hosts not to write India off the series. Hussain recalled India's fightback in Australia after they had been bowled out for 36 in the first Test in Adelaide.
After a disappointing defeat in the second Test at Lord’s, England dominated with both bat and ball at Headingley to beat India by an innings and 76 runs. The ongoing five-match series is now leveled 1-1, with the fourth Test schedule to be played at The Oval from September 2.
Nasser Hussain, the former England captain, has warned Joe Root and his men to not write India off yet. Hussain mentioned how India bounced back to win the series in Australia in 2020 after being bowled for 36 in the first Test at Adelaide.Â
"The last thing England must do now is think they have done the hard work and write India off ahead of Thursday's fourth Test in south London and the final match at Old Trafford — grounds which should suit their attack better. Remember, they were bowled out for 36 by Australia in Adelaide late last year but came back to pull off a famous series win. And after Kohli had gone home, too,” Hussain wrote in his Telegraph column.
The former England captain reckoned that India’s seam bowlers did not make use of the swinging conditions at Headingley.
“At Headingley, England swung the ball round corners. Skillful as India's seam bowlers are they did not swing the ball at all.
Hussain asked for England to try and dominate India in the fourth and fifth Tests, with home condtions to their advantage.
“But the last thing England must do now is think they have done the hard work and write India off ahead of Thursday's fourth Test in south London and the final match at Old Trafford — grounds which should suit their attack better.
While refelcting on Virat Kohli’s poor run in the series, Nasser Hussain stated that Team India has got the strength to bounce back to the game even if their skipper fails to score runs.
“India do have a lot of strength of character and fight, and central to that is their captain, even though Kohli has looked more like the 2014 version rather than the one who conquered English conditions and England's attack in 2018,” Hussain wrote.