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HYDERABAD, India : India picked a three-pronged spin attack but did not completely disregard the need for speed against England in the opening test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Thursday.
England captain Ben Stokes on Tuesday rated Mark Wood as an "impact builder" with high pace after they decided to enter the first Test against India, starting in Hyderabad from Thursday, with a solitary fast bowler and three spinners. Wood was preferred over veteran James Anderson for this match, and Stokes said the Durham man's ability to touch 150 clicks tilted the scales in his favour.
The England cricket team received a big blow ahead of the first Test against India as young spinner Shoaib Bashir had to return home because of an unresolved visa issue. Bashir was to join the rest of his teammates in Hyderabad but the player with his roots in Pakistan couldn't find a resolution in time for the series opener. England skipper Ben Stokes admitted being frustrated because of the issue, saying he feels for the player who was in the running for a spot in the playing XI for the first Test.
Team India is geared up for the upcoming five-match Test series against England. The first Test will kick-start from Thursday in Hyderabad. Team India's bowling unit consists of Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mukesh Kumar in the pace department. On the other hand, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja will handle the spin department. Ahead of the first Test, former England skipper Michael Vaughan has warned the Indian team of preparing overly spin-friendly pitches in the series.
Former England cricket team spinner Monty Panesar believes that England cricketers should sledge Virat Kohli and try to 'mentally pinch' him in the upcoming Test series in India starting January 25. India and England will play five Test matches and Kohli is expected to play a huge role in determining the result of the series. In a recent interaction, Panesar said that England bowlers need to play with Kohli's ego and sledge him on the lines of India being 'chokers' when it comes to international competitions.
Veteran English seamer James Anderson says his team might be compelled to open with two spinners in the upcoming five-Test series against India as it looks for ways to counter the traditionally spin-friendly conditions in the host country. The Three Lions have moved in with four specialist spinners in their squad -- Jack Leach, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir. Leach is the only one to have experienced playing the longest format in India. The series begins January 25 in Hyderabad and the English team is undergoing a training camp in Abu Dhabi. The spin department will receive guidance from Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood, who too have Test-playing experience in the country.
Uncapped spinner Shoaib Bashir has been called-up by England for the Test series in India, only six months after making his first-class debut.
Twenty-year-old spinner Shoaib Bashir was on Monday named in England's 16-man squad for the five-Test series against India along with fellow uncapped bowlers Gus Atkinson and Tom Hartley. Bashir only made his first-class debut for Somerset in June but is one of four spinners included for the tour, while vice-captain Ollie Pope and Jack Leach return to the team after injuries. Fast bowler Atkinson and left-arm spinner Hartley have represented England in white-ball cricket but are yet to play at Test level.