England better off without a warm-up match, says coach

MUMBAI: England team’s biggest concern going into the India tour is not about tackling spin bowling, but maintaining the right balance for their players in the taxing subcontinent schedule where they are playing seven Tests in nine weeks.

England’s failure in Bangladesh to win the twoTest series may not alter their plans to put in extra effort in their preparations for the five-Test series against India, starting at Rajkot from November 9.

England, who will arrive in Mumbai on Wednesday, are planning to hold only one practice session at the Brabourne Stadium on Saturday before flying to Rajkot where they land four days prior to the first Test.

There is no warm-up match scheduled for the England team.

England coach Trevor Bayliss justified not playing a warm-up match. “When we first sat down and we’ve got seven matches in eight or nine weeks, the last thing we want to be doing is playing even more cricket.

ENGLAND’S FAILURE IN BANGLADESH TO WIN THE TWO-TEST SERIES MAY NOT ALTER THEIR PLANS TO PUT IN EXTRA EFFORT

‘JUGGLING ACT’

“We don’t want to get to the third or fourth Test in India and everyone’s shot mentally and physically. It is a juggling act, I understand that, but the few weeks we’ve had here has been some very good practice.

“I think if the players take the right messages and learn the right things from these two matches, that will stand us in good stead heading forward, which we know is going to be an even more difficult assignment in India,” Bayliss was quoted as saying in the English media on Tuesday.