Why India eyeing a bright English summer

PRESENT TENSE Except Cook and Root, an anaemic English batting gives Kohli’s boys the edge in fivetest series

NEW DELHI: Judged purely on quality, this India-england Test series may not be of the standard witnessed in 2002 and 2007. Both teams have undergone huge transformation after the 2012 tour of India that England won 2-1, but man to man, India look in better shape despite jarring inconsistencies.

India’s opening combination still requires tuning while needless tinkering has left the middleorder look frail at times. But that hasn’t seemed to affect India’s home dominance. The win in Johannesburg earlier this year has further bolstered hope that this unit is on the precipice of greatness. To earn that reputation without having the solidity displayed by the Fab Four in their heyday is an achievement.

Once the No 1 team, England have slipped, especially at home. Since beating India 3-1 at home in 2014, England have lost at least one home Test to New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan (two series — 2016, 2018), South Africa and even the West Indies.

In eight home losses in the last four years, England were not able to aggregate 600 runs in two innings. In the other two losses, England totalled 748 and 605 against New Zealand and West Indies. Both don’t have the most consistent pace attacks. So with quality pacers, India stand a good chance to rile England.

One of England’s major issues is the plethora of opening combinations that have misfired in all losses barring the defeat to New Zealand in Leeds in May, 2015. Cook has somewhat tried to hold up one end but that is just half