Ahead of the upcoming four-Test series starting February 5 in Chennai, former Indian cricketer Kiran More has on Monday (February 1) warned the Indian cricket team to “treat England just like Australia” by saying they “always come well prepared and give surprises”.
India is entering into the upcoming home Test series against England after a spectacular Border-Gavaskar title triumph in Australia and More admitted that Team India will do well in the home series, but they should not take England lightly in Test cricket.
More told Times of India on Monday: “India will definitely do well, but the England team always comes well prepared. They give you surprises. They have two quality spinners in their team also. After the Australia win, India shouldn't take England lightly.”
He further noted, “India should treat England just like Australia. You can't take anyone lightly in Test cricket. Every session is a different session in Test cricket.”
Meanwhile, England is already a tough side to beat and they are also coming into the series on the back of a 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka – where their captain Joe Root scored 426 runs including a double hundred in 2 Tests at a mind-boggling average of 106.50.
Apart from Root’s stunning form with the bat, England’s batting line-up – which has world-class Jos Buttler and young performers like Rory Burns and Zak Crawley, is bolstered with the return of the world's no. 1 Test all-rounder Ben Stokes for the upcoming Test series against India.
More further pointed out: “Root and Stokes will be England's key players against India. Root performed really well in Sri Lanka and is in magnificent form. England has a good batting line up, their fast bowlers are outstanding, their spinners have done really well in Sri Lanka.”
He signed off by saying, “If you look at them overall, they are very well prepared. In Sri Lanka where England has played, it was a rank turner. They scored well and then got Sri Lanka out twice.”
Noteworthy, Root will become the 15th England cricketer to feature in 100 Test matches when he steps onto the field for the toss in the first Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on February 5.
(With TOI Inputs)
