Given their recent success with the ‘Bazball’ approach, former skipper Nasser Hussain has warned against writing off England in the upcoming five-match Test series in India, though the hosts will start as firm favourites.

Since embracing Bazball, England are yet to lose a Test series. They have won 13 of their 18 Tests during this period while losing four. India remain unbeaten at home since 2012-13.

“India are the favourites, but every single challenge Bazball has faced they’ve stuck to their guns and Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s record is seriously good, I wouldn’t write them off,” Nasser told Sky Sports.

“Bazball has been very successful, especially at home, and the two toughest places to tour are India or Australia. It’s going to be a massive challenge for England.

“India want to see how this new approach will work at home. It will be fascinating cricket and will be interesting to see how this particular side will go against what is one
of the great cricketing outfits at the moment, which is the India side.”

With the Indian pitches traditionally being slow, spin will again play an important role. Former captain Michael Atherton feels the Indian spin attack offers more variety.

“If you go to India, spin will play a big part, it historically has done, and I suspect it always will do. India do have a very strong seam attack as well.

“India’s four spinners are very different to England’s. They have two left-arm finger spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. They have a wrist spinner in Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the greatest spinners of all time.

“England have a solid left-arm spinner in Jack Leach and then three very inexperienced spinners after that with Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed. It will be a particular challenge for them, but the selectors see a high ceiling for them,” he said.

Written with PTI inputs