India spinners in firing line against England

INDIA’S much-hyped spin attack are under pressure to deliver in the second Test at Visakhapatnam starting today against an England side high on confidence and boasting new teenage sensation Haseeb Hameed.

Nineteen-year-old Hameed, dubbed “Baby Boycott” for his unflappable style akin to batting great Geoffrey Boycott, scored 31 and 82 on debut during last week’s drawn first Test, the latter the highest by a teenager for England.

He shared a 180-run second innings opening stand – an English record in India – with captain Alastair Cook, who made 130, as the home spinners endured a torrid start to the five-Test series.

India’s spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, the world’s top-ranked bowler, Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra had been expected to rip through England’s batting but wilted in the Rajkot heat.

The tourists sparkled with four centuries – from Cook, Joe Root, Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes – as the hosts clung on for a tense draw, losing six wickets on the final afternoon after being set a notional 310 to win.

There had been questions marks over the quality of England’s slow bowlers before the game, but they outperformed their Indian counterparts with leg-spinner Adil Rashid taking seven wickets.

England’s strong showing against the top-ranked Indians banished memories of last month’s defeat to minnows Bangladesh when they were undone by rookie spinner Mehedi Hasan.

Ashwin recorded just 2-167 in the first innings and 1-63 in the second. Mishra finished on 1-98 and 2-60, while Jadeja’s solid 3-86 was followed by 0-47 in the second innings.

However, the pitch at the Visakhapatnam ground in Andhra Pradesh state is expected to be more favourable to India’s spinners than Rajkot’s flat and grassy track.

“We’re under no illusions that these next four Tests could be even tougher,” said England coach Trevor Bayliss.

England could include leading wickettaker James Anderson, who has recovered from a shoulder injury, while India are set to make changes.