As the cricketing action is set to resume with the England-West Indies Test series next month after Coronavirus-forced break, England’s opening batsman Rory Burns expects a stiff challenge from the Caribbean side in the forthcoming eagerly anticipated three-match Test series at home.
The three-match Test series starting on July 8, still subject to final clearance from the British government, is set to mark the return of cricket after the world-wide shutdown caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic since mid-March.
Read Also: Playing Test cricket for England is a big goal of mine, says Sam Billings
Having already suffered 2-1 defeat against West Indies in their last meeting in Test format last year in February, Burns insisted that the hosts led by Joe Root won't underestimate the challenge posed by Jason Holder and his team in the forthcoming home Test series.
Burns told The Cricket Show: “The last time we played each other, they won, so they're no slouches certainly. Their bowling attack caused us a lot of problems. They're very skilful; they've got some pace.”
The 29-year-old left-hander further added, “I remember walking around on the pitch of the first Test and seeing their bowlers going and thought, 'this is going to be quite tasty!' They've got a lot of good cricketers there and it's going to be a stiff test no matter who comes.”
Meanwhile, the fit-again Surrey opener is eager to regain his opening place in the Playing XI for the Windies Tests after being sidelined since January with ankle ligament damage he suffered during a warm-up game of football in Cape Town before the South Africa series.
Burns said of his injury, “The ankle is strong. I would've been able to start the county season, if that had gone ahead on time. That was really my first injury of any note in my career and so to pick it up at a time when you feel like you're developing and moving along in the right direction, it was quite frustrating.”
He signed off by saying, “But I didn't try to think about it too much. When I got injured in South Africa, I wrote down all the things I thought I had been doing well - what I was enjoying about my batting - in terms of the things I'd been working on. I had a little read of them on Tuesday. It's nice to be back now, have a bat in my hand and get back to it.”
(With SkySports Inputs)
