Having not played a Test match for six months, England’s red-ball team is poised to return to action, initiating a five-match tour in Hyderabad, on January 25. As England prepares for the series against India on their home turf, all eyes are on the nature of the pitch for the crucial first Test.
McCullum shared his observations, stating, “It looked promising. It appears that the pitch is conducive to spin. It may not start turning right away, but it’s likely to happen at some point, and I’m confident spin will play a significant role throughout the series.”
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No visiting team has secured a Test series victory against India on their home soil since the England team led by Sir Alastair Cook accomplished the feat in 2012. Now, under the leadership of Ben Stokes, England have an opportunity to make history once again.
McCullum understands the difficulty of playing an aggressive style of cricket in spin-friendly conditions. Nevertheless, the former cricketer emphasized England’s readiness to confront the challenge, stating that India is a land of opportunity and England will adhere to its distinctive style of play.
“As we embarked on this journey some time ago, our aim was to provide as much entertainment as possible. We believed that it gave us the best chance as well. What better stage to do it on than against India, in India?
“There will be many eyeballs watching around the world, and it’s a tremendous opportunity for us. India is the land of opportunity, and that’s what lies ahead of us now. It’s an exciting prospect. As for the duration of the games, I have no idea, but I’m confident both teams will stick to their respective styles. Throughout the Ashes, it was two heavyweights going at it with different styles, and I expect it to be the same in this series,” commented the 42-year-old.
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The Stokes-led English squad arrived in Hyderabad on Sunday, January 21, following an extensive preparatory camp in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Their first training session witnessed Stokes facing spinners, while Ben Foakes focused on keeping drills. With at least one more practice session before the first Test, the team is gearing up for the challenge.
The last Test match played at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad was in 2018. However, since then, the nature of pitches prepared in India has changed a bit. While expectations may lean towards the pitch favoring batters in Hyderabad, the possibility of preparing a spin-friendly pitch to counter England’s aggressive approach cannot be ruled out.
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