Silverwood happy to see Aussies in Paine

ENGLAND head coach Chris Silverwood took time out from plotting another victory over Sri Lanka to watch Australia’s historic defeat by India and admitted it was nice to see their Ashes rivals feeling the heat.

The majority of the travelling party in Galle took the chance to tune in as an injury-ravaged India stormed The Gabba, becoming the first team since 1988 to win a Test in the Brisbane stronghold.

The manner of the 2-1 series defeat has led to serious questions over Tim Paine’s captaincy and, although Silverwood declined to weigh in on that matter, anything that helps England perform their own smash-and-grab Down Under next winter is a cause for satisfaction.

“I thought it was brilliant.

“It’s nothing to do with me, Tim Paine’s captaincy, but it’s always nice to see people in opposition teams under pressure,” he said.

“It shows that, if you do the basics well and get stuck in, we can beat them.”

England themselves have nine consecutive away and home Tests against India before the Ashes.