England to unwind before fourth Test

ENGLAND captain Alastair Cook is looking forward to a rare week-long break in a hectic playing schedule after the heavy third Test defeat against India in Mohali yesterday.

Virat Kohli’s side won by eight wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the five-Test series.

But England’s players are looking to unwind with some welcome down time in Dubai before making the short trip from the Gulf resort city to Mumbai for the fourth Test, which begins on December 8.

“The break comes at a very good time, obviously, after three back-to-back Test matches,” Cook told reporters after the defeat.

Some of the England squad have been on duty since landing in Bangladesh on September 30 for three one-day internationals followed by the 1-1 draw in the Test series there.

Cook himself has spent just 18 hours with his new-born daughter after dashing home from the Bangladesh tour for her birth.

“We have this week off and I think, most people going to Dubai,” said Cook. “Mentally it will be break from cricket. We will come back little bit more refreshed.”

Cook’s team has endured tough couple of months after losing a Test to Bangladesh for the first time and are now staring at a series defeat against India.

But Cook remembered that four years ago in India England came back from 1-0 down to win the four-Test series 2-1 and said that if they show greater consistency they can still save the series.

He also said it was difficult to compare with the 2012 tour, because the two teams have changed character since.

“The India we played in 2012 was different, probably an ageing team compared to now,” Cook said, adding that his current side were still learning how to tackle unfamiliar sub-continent conditions with low, turning pitches.

“In 2012 we were a lot more experienced and had played a lot more in the sub-continent over the three years before that.

“This side have played more than one or two games in the sub-continent before we played in Bangladesh. That’s probably the difference.” – AFP