N ANANTHANARAYANAN

CHELMSFORD: The biggest challenge for a sub-continent team touring England is negotiating the new ball. In typical English conditions, in early summer or late, the ball will swing and seam to an extent. The technique of even the best batsmen will be tested.

That is a big reason why international batsmen cherish success in England, though it is not easy to take on the bowling attacks of Australia or South Africa on their home turf either.

India’s success in the Twenty20 series was seen as a logistics success as nine players figuring in the shorter formats were also in the Test side.

But India will go into the first Test starting in Edgbaston, Birmingham on Wednesday with concern whether their top-order batsmen will stand scrutiny against the wily James Anderson and Co despite the harsh English summer leading many to predict conditions would be more benign and make it a close series.

DHAWAN BAGS A PAIR

Opener Shikhar Dhawan will always be tested if the ball does a bit and he bagged a pair in the three-day warm-up game that ended in a draw after rain during the final session. Dhawan was bowled third-ball on Friday afternoon. In the first innings, he fell first ball to seamer Matt Coles early in the game when the pitch had life. But it had flattened out as India’s pacers found.

Dhawan was beaten by a delivery that came in and was beaten by swing the next delivery to be