ENGLAND HAS TALENT TO BURN
India’s quality pace attack, comprising a world-class operator in Jasprit Bumrah, could prompt the host to prepare seamer-friendly pitches instead of the traditional sub-continental spinning tracks in its Test series against England, opined visiting opener Rory Burns.
The 30-year-old Burns said that one shouldn’t put too much pressure on England’s spin duo of off-break bowler Dom Bess and slow left-arm orthodox Jack Leach, who will be up against a formidable India batting line-up. “Honestly, I don’t think that you need to put too much expectation on them,” Burns said at a virtual press conference on Thursday.
“They bowled well in Sri Lanka to get into the groove, which is very important. It is about switching their skills on to the Indian surfaces. I think that they have been here before on different tours with the England Lions. So, they have the experience of playing here and will go about their business,” added Burns.
“But, you don’t want to put too much expectation on them without knowing about the surfaces. With the India pace attack, the pitches might be slightly seamer friendly. There is also a Day/Night Test match, so yeah it could be a bit different.”
The left-handed opener agreed that preparing for an unconventional bowler like Bumrah is an onerous task. “He is quite a hard man to prepare for. He is unique in terms of how he comes and bowls. We will be working on angles, seam, swing and those sort of things,” said Burns.
A three-day practice is all England would get after a five-day hard quarantine and Burns, who has been shadow batting in his hotel room in front of the mirror, accepts that the situation in a post-COVID world is challenging.