Will Bazball Work In India? England Star Wary Of 'Unknown Grounds' Threat

The swashbuckling opener Zak Crawley said England's upcoming tour to India in January -March 2024 presents them with an 'amazing opportunity' to showcase 'Bazball' but adapting to conditions will be the key. India will host England in a five-match Test series next year, and talks are already on about whether the latter would be able to follow their aggressive brand of cricket on Indian pitches. The series, for the Anthony de Mello Trophy, gets underway in Hyderabad with the first Test scheduled from January 25-29, the second Test is at Visakhapatnam (February 2-6), the third at Rajkot (February 15-19), the fourth at Ranchi (February 23-27) and the fifth and final Test at Dharamsala (March 7-11).

"I don't really know much about their grounds," Crawley was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo after the conclusion of the Ashes series against Australia.

Among the five venues, the last time Hyderabad and Rajkot hosted a Test was in 2018, while Ranchi and Visakhapatnam last played hosts in 2019.

The conditions could be new and challenging for India at Dharamsala too, since the venue has hosted only one Test in the past — against Australia in 2017.

"Sometimes in India it seams and swings a bit — and they've got unbelievable seamers — so hopefully there are a couple of pitches there that are like that as well, that will suit us a bit more,” he said.

With the World Cup 2023 being the biggest cricket draw in the second half of this year, England's Test cricketers will get an extended break before their next assignment in India.

India will restart their long-form assignments against South Africa in December with the Boxing Day Test. "I can't remember having six months off (between Tests) before," Crawley said.

Crawley made 480 runs