ENG vs IND | Anderson and Broad will struggle on dry wickets against India, opines Sunil GavaskarĀ
Former Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar has asserted that the experienced pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad will have their task cut out on some dry wickets this summer in England. England, who lost their last series against New Zealand, are due to play five Tests against India.
While it has been a historic summer for New Zealand on English soil, both England and India had their fair share of disappointment. England continued their poor run from India and conceded a home Test series to New Zealand for the first time since 1999. While India lost the finals of the World Test Championship and continued their poor run in the ICC Knock-outs.Ā
One of the things that stood out from the England-New Zealand series was the nature of wickets, which were on the drier and flatter side. It made things difficult for James Anderson, who struggled in the two-match Test series. However, it was in line with England's approach of trying to ace different conditions so that they can improve their overseas displays. Keeping that in mind, it shouldn't be a surprise if flatter wickets are dished out for the series against India. Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar has suggested that the duo of Anderson and Broad might well struggle on dry wickets if they don't get early wickets.
"Indian batsmen need not worry about the series against England in August-September as the sun will be out by then and the pitches will be drier and with the greatest of respect, if Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad don't get wickets in their first spell, they struggle in their next spells," wrote Gavaskar in his column for The Telegraph, reported India Today.
India's batting vulnerability in seaming conditions was exposed yet again in the WTC Final against New Zealand. It robbed India of a golden chance to finally end their dry run in the ICC events since their last win came in England in the 2013 Champions Trophy. Gavaskar said that if India are determined enough, they can turn around their fortunes this summer.
āThe English summer has begun with disappointment [for India] but when disappointment fuels determination then fortunes can be turned and that's the attitude this talented team need to make this a truly Indian summer," said Gavaskar.
The five-match Test series between India and England will commence from August 4 and will conclude on September 14 if the final Test goes all the way to the fifth day. Last time, when India toured England in 2018, they lost the Test series 1-4.