What promised to be an interesting and close contest, now looks to be heavily loaded in favor of India. England’s injury problems have meant that some of its most experienced players, including the captain Michael Vaughan, will not be playing in the series. It’s a huge blow to lose the captain even before a ball is hit in earnest in the series and to also lose the vice-captain is not going to be easy for England to recover from. This is going to be a great test of character for the rest of the members and at the same time, a tremendous opportunity for them to establish themselves in the side. Having said that, it would only be a fool who will underestimate how funny the game of cricket can be and how it makes idiots of the greatest of experts.
Andrew Flintoff will captain his country for the first time and not in circumstances he would relish, but if there is one player in this team who can lead by example and turn around the fortunes of his team it is the big fella. Immensely likeable and still extremely down to earth in spite of his iconic status in the cricketing world, ‘Freddie’ has matured beyond recognition as a Test player. No longer is he looking to take the hit your way out of trouble route, but is prepared to play the waiting game too. In Andrew Strauss he has a deputy who also has a fine record overseas. He struggled in Pakistan but his left-handedness can cause problems to the Indian bowlers who still seem to lose ideas when bowling to southpaws. If he can stabilize the innings and let Pietersen take the sword, then England could well put up a decent total for its pacers.
The English pace attack is unaffected with the early departures home and in Harmison, Hoggard and Flintoff they have pace, bounce and variety. They won’t get much bounce on this pitch made for ‘the son-in-law’ of Nagpur, but there could be movement with the new ball and if England can get early wickets, they could pressure India. India will have a new opening pair with Wasim Jaffer making a comeback to Test cricket. He has scored a mountain of runs in first class cricket over the past few years, but with first class cricket getting over a month back and India’s domestic cricket in the one-day cycle, it will be interesting to see how he makes the adjustment. To Virender Sehwag it makes no difference what format he is playing and while he is more at home against the quicks, it is the moving ball that can trouble him. Amazingly India’s two best batsmen, the skipper Dravid and the little champion, Sachin Tendulkar haven’t had big partnerships together and if that happens, it will be a treat for the connoisseur of the game. VVS Laxman, after a disappointing show against Shoaib Akhtar in Karachi, has the opportunity to show that it was just a one-off experience.
India would do well to blood the in-form Suresh Raina ahead of the out of form Mohammad Kaif. Raina’s inclusion will strengthen the fielding and his left-handedness will also help in an otherwise right-handed batting line-up.
England will get to know what impact Mahendra Singh Dhoni can have and if the Indians are planning to go with five specialist bowlers, then Dhoni could bat at No. 6. Knowing England’s fallibility to spin, especially leg-spin, Piyush Chawla could well make his debut in the Test. He looks a confident young man, who has come in the team by sheer dint of performance and not just by the one delivery that bowled Tendulkar. It could well be the start of a great career and an addition to India’s tradition of producing great spinners.
India were the favorites even before England were decimated by injuries. Now they have the chance to totally dominate the series.
