There has been much talk in some sections of England’s media and former cricketers about the Ashes series, with someone like Graeme Swann even talking about series against India as “warm-up” for Ashes. Stuart Broad isn’t one of them, though, and has raised concerns that England team must address in the here and now against India.
“[Jasprit] Bumrah is the best in the world, but he won’t play all five Tests, and looking at England with the injuries they’ve got at the moment — where are they getting 20 wickets?” Broad told The Times.
Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the first Test due to injury, and he last played a Test four years ago. Mark Wood is set to miss the India series due to injury. England have Chris Woakes, who himself has just begun to come back to competitive cricket after a long rehab. Broad says it’s a worry.
“Chris Woakes will probably have the new ball. I love Woakesy, but I am worried about the amount of overs he’s bowled this summer — not enough. He’s someone who needs overs under his belt to get his rhythm. Not like Mark Wood, who can hit the ground running straight away after a layoff — Woakes needs to get going and find his rhythm.”
“We’ve got an inexperienced young spinner too [Shoaib Bashir] there are a lot of unknowns. It spins at Headingley, so there is no chance they don’t pick their specialist spinner.”
“There are some younger guys who have not played in the cauldron and intensity of an India or Australia series and it is the next level of scrutiny. There is real pressure,” Broad says. Headingley has a lightning-quick outfield — if you make any mistakes on your length, the batsman just whizzes away,” Broad says. “If there are clouds, it can swing around, but if you get it wrong there you disappear at a rate of knots.”
Meanwhile, England’s former captain Nasser Hussain has predicted a 3-1 win for England. “England have a very good record at home, and India will miss the runs and experience of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. It’s a hard one to call, but I think home advantage will swing it to England, and I’m going for 3-1.”
