Rattled England face trial News, Cricket

Highlights

• England suffered a shock defeat versus Bangladesh in Chittagong Test.

• They lost 10 wickets in a semester, exposing their frailties.

• The last time England toured India in 2012, they won the series 2-1.

Alastair Cook’s England appear to have neither the form nor the resources to replicate their 2012 heroics against an Indian group determined to cement their Test rankings that are high in a show starting on Wednesday at Rajkot.

Rather, Cook and his men acquired with bruised egos, having lost the second Test to settle for a share of this show against the planet’s ninth ranked Test team.

They did not look very persuasive in their success from the Chittagong Test where they lost 10 wickets in a semester, exposing their frailties on turning wickets but shocks awaited them.

Since then, India haven’t lost a Test at home, blanking Australia and West Indies, crushing South Africa and whitewashing New Zealand in September.

Cook admitted his group would go into the show as the underdogs.

“It’s a big challenge,” the 31-year-old told reporters in Mumbai. “Any time you play with the number one or the number two ranked team in their backyard, who are very comfortable in their own conditions, it is a huge job for us.

That revealed in Bangladesh where Mehedi Hasan claimed 19 wickets in his debut series, together with 38 of the 40 wickets claimed by the bowlers.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, that shot 58 wickets against New Zealand and South Africa, would likely be licking his lips at the prospect of bowling against the English batsmen.

ASHWIN-JADEJA COMBINATION

Virat Kohli’s India can also telephone on Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm spin to offer a foil for Ashwin, now the top ranked Test bowler.

Batting might not prove to be the sole challenge from the series of the flying side.

The likes of Gareth Batty Moeen Ali, Zafar Ansari or even Adil Rashid will have to conjure up something unique to be successful against Indian batsmen.

The vacationers received a boost with James Anderson cleared to join the Test team even though England’s top Evaluation wicket-taker, recovering from a shoulder injury, will miss the opener in Rajkot.

India’s only stress appears to be at the top of the batting order with openers Lokesh Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan overlooking the first two Tests while a third batsman Rohit Sharma was ruled from the show with a thigh injury.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya and Batsman Karun Nair are more prone to earn a Test debut in Rajkot, that will be hosting its very first Test at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.

It might be in its own experience, if England could boast 1 edge.

The DRS, with all its component, will be employed after years of resistance.

source http://thesportsnewscentral.com/rattled-england-face-trial-news-cricket/