Ever since the start of the IND vs ENG Test series, there have been talks if the hosts will go in with wickets that will assist spin-bowling, that suits their style of play. But it seems like England is also ready for the spin-challenge, said vice-captain Ollie Pope.
“If it does spin from ball one, it takes the toss out of the equation, then it’s an even playing field,” Pope told reporters here on Wednesday. “A lot of the time the wicket starts out flat and then deteriorates. We won the first game batting first, India the last two batting first. It doesn’t define the result if you bat first on slightly flatter wicket but it does give you an advantage,” he added.
Pope went on to say that a spin-friendly wicket will get England into the game. “If it does do a fare bit like we expect it to then it gets us into the game. We have got some young spinners, they have bowled well in some pretty good surfaces. It definitely give us wicket taking opportunities. They have done a good job on flat wickets as well.”
ENG Batsmen Can Dominate
Pope also highlighted, how England batsmen could dominate the Indian spinners. “Personally, when the ball is doing more your best batter is trying to hit the bowler, trying to get him to bowl off his length. It helps if you try to put pressure on the bowler like we did in Hyderabad.
“If it’s spinning we will see more sweep shots, innovative shots. We have realised that the threats that they pose on spinning wickets, the likes of Jadeja, Ashwin and Kuldeep.
“Our best bet is to put them under pressure like we did in Hyderabad in the second innings. That can give us a large amount of confidence going to the test if it does end spinning a lot like it did then.”
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