Articles by "Nottingham"
Nottingham, Aug 23: England's batting line-up looks weak and vulnerable to both pace and spin bowling, feels veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh, who backed India to clinch the five-Test series after their dominating 203-run win in the third Test here.
Lagging 0-2 after losing the first two Tests, India produced a stupendous performance at Trent Bridge, dismissing England's second innings for 317 to register a massive 203-run win yesterday.
"The English batting line-up looks more problematic than the Indian batting at the moment. They are playing as if they are touring India, and not the other way round," Harbhajan told PTI.
"Their batting line-up is more vulnerable to both pace and spin, and they look weak. Some of their first-choice batsmen have an ordinary record in domestic cricket, averaging 30-35 at best.
"In India, you have to average over 50 to be even considered. They have good depth in ODI cricket but in Tests, their batting has not done much," he added.
Harbhajan feels the Indian team copped a lot of unnecessary flak after going down 0-2, but now at 1-2, the series is still wide open.
"It is not easy to come and play in England. You cannot say that previous Indian teams did better here. Apart from 2007, when did we last win a series in England? We tend to over-react easily and criticise too early," he said.
"It takes time to get used to conditions in England. You can practice as much as you want but match conditions are different from nets. The Birmingham Test was so close, and if India had won there narrowly (instead of losing), we wouldn't have had so much criticism and the series would currently be 2-1 to India instead."
Harbhajan, who has taken 417 wickets in 103 Tests, feels conditions will favour India at Oval Test and the visitors might think of playing two spinners.
"After such a performance I back India to win the next Test in Southampton, and then anything can happen in the Oval Test. At the Oval, we could get a true Indian wicket with lot of bounce and lateral movement is less there as well," he said.
"So, conditions could favour India and we could even play two spinners. I think India have a very good chance (of winning the series 3-2)."
Harbhajan, 38, feels India were unlucky in Lord's as their batting faltered in a match affected by rain.
"At Lord's conditions were very bad. England batsmen would have struggled there too, but India had bad luck. The Birmingham match was close. The big difference in this match was that India were able to put runs on the board," he said.
"In such conditions, if you put 350 runs on the board, then India will be in the game. It was about putting your mind into it and how you can put those runs on the board," he added.
Praising the Indian bowling attack, Harbhajan said, "Once you put runs on the board, you can see the difference. In one spell, Hardik Pandya changed the game, which is a great thing from India's point of view.
"India has a great bowling attack now, which they didn't earlier. We had only Zaheer Khan and someone else trying to chip in, but now we have three good bowlers and now we also have a fourth in Pandya.
"In this match, he was matching up in terms of swing and pace to all other three pacers. It's a blessing to have three-four proper pacers in the playing eleven, which has never happened before in the history of Indian cricket that I have played in, or seen." (PTI)
Nottingham, Aug 22: England batsman Jos Buttler has said that they didn't want to make any thing easy for India and by taking the third Test into day five, they have made the visitors work hard for the victory.
Buttler scored 103 and put on 169 runs with Ben Stokes but Jasprit Bumrah took 5-85 to reduce England to 311-9 in pursuit of the 521-run target.
"It was very important for us to turn up today and show a lot of character and fight and not give it to India easily make them work hard. We did that really well throughout the day - even the two guys there at the end, making sure we do come back tomorrow.
"It showed that, no matter what it is, we're not going to roll over," Buttler said.
England were reduced to 62 for four at one stage but not only did Buttler and Stokes held the crease until lunch, they batted out the next session without losing any wickets.
While continuing to frustrate India, Buttler said they felt they could have batted until stumps as he scored his maiden Test hundred.
"Having batted for a long time and feeling pretty good in the middle. We knew the (second) new ball would be a big phase in the game conditions for batting were really good before that. It's disappointing I couldn't make it last a bit longer.
"It has been a long time coming, and a few months ago it was a million miles away. It's a huge moment for me. I don't think I can under-estimate that feeling. Personally I'm delighted, a little bit lost for words. Definitely to prove you can do it, I think that's a huge part of the feeling of it," he said.
The batsman added, "I was never sure if I'd ever play Test cricket again. All those thoughts go through your head while you're out there as well when you start to get close. I never thought this would happen, so I had to try and make sure it did. Definitely there were times when I thought that race was run."
When asked if this was more fulfilling than any of his limited-overs' exploits, Buttler replied, "It's a lot more fulfilment, probably. It's just been a longer time coming, I think. A hundred in any red-ball game I think it's the first one I've scored for five years probably. It's a big moment for me, and it means a lot.
"It proves to me I can do it, and I'm hungry to go and do it again. I've definitely remembered how hard Test cricket is, having come back into it. It's really tough - it tests you in all sorts of ways. This is definitely the proudest moment in an England shirt."
Then, Bumrah used the second new ball really well, and broke through the English lower order to put India onto the cusp of making a comeback in the series.
"He's obviously a very talented bowler. In the white-ball formats and the IPL, he's obviously a fantastic performer and now he's showing that in Test matches too.
"He's obviously got quite a unique action, generates good pace with it, and crates a different angle to what you'd usually face. So he's definitely a guy who poses some different questions to the norm," said Buttler.
"There is a lot of variety in the India attack as a whole, and he's another big part of that. It was an error of judgment, but trying to work out the balls to play and leave against him is quite tricky with his angle.
"He draws you into playing a lot of balls, with his angle and where he delivers it from, and that was just one that came back and I got it wrong." (PTI)
Nottingham, Aug 22: India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has attributed his quick return from an injury and the subsequent second five-wicket haul in Test cricket to the hard work he does away from the camera and fitness regime.
Bumrah took 5-85 as England were reduced to 311 for nine nine in pursuit of the 521-run target with formalities delayed until day five of the third Test against India.
"When I made my First-Class debut, my first spell was of 10 overs. So I was always used to bowling lot of overs in Ranji Trophy, which always helps. That helped me today as well," he said.
"When I was injured I was working on my fitness and my training schedules. I was always in touch with our trainers so that whenever I come (back) I should be in good space. All of that helps today," added Bumrah.
This was the seamer's second five-wicket haul in Test cricket, an effort that paved the way for India's comeback in the series after trailing 0-2.
"You don't get anything easy. You have to work for it. We work hard. That hard work makes you successful on days like these. The hard work we do away from the camera is what bears results on days like these," he said.
England were reduced to 62 for four at one stage before a 169-run partnership between Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes rescued the hosts for nearly the next two sessions.
"In white-ball cricket things are different over there you outsmart the batsman, and over here in Test cricket it's all about patience and consistency. That was my main focus today. You can't blast the batsmen out.
"I was looking to bowl good lengths and always challenge the batsmen with good lengths and good line. So in the end it was a good day. I got the edge (off Root)."
Bumrah said he enjoyed his contest with both Joe Root and Buttler, adding that consistency is the key to bowling in these conditions.
"We've played together for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, so I've bowled a little bit to him (Buttler) in the nets, but not a lot. It's always an interesting competition because he's an attacking player. He's an important player for their team as well. If he gets a good start, he keeps on going and it could create problems.
"I was just focusing on my strengths, what has worked for me before. I've got him out 2-3 times in the IPL as well and in the nets as well. I was just focusing on that, what has helped me when I was bowling to him. I have a clear plan, a clear head and a clear space of mind."
Talking about bowling attacking angles to both left and right-handed batsmen, the pacer added, "My focus is to always enjoy and bowl good lines and lengths. Test cricket is all about consistency and patience. In one-day cricket, you outsmart the batsmen. Here it's all about consistency. It doesn't matter if I bowl to a left-hander or a right-hander."
Buttler went on to score his maiden Test hundred while Stokes scored his slowest half-century as the second session went wicketless.
Then, Bumrah ushered in a collapse with the second new ball, and completed his five-wicket haul before Adil Rashid and James Anderson took the game into day five.
"We were happy that even when the ball got older we were still bowling good lines and good lengths. The movement was less as soon as the sun came out. It got better to bat on. We always had the belief that if we keep on applying pressure, sometime or the other we will get the result.
"The second new ball, because of the new seam, it was seaming a bit more than the older ball. That was helping as well. I was focussing on that. We were just trying to get one wicket, not to look too far ahead."
"It doesn't matter (if we win on day four or five). As far as you get the desired result, you are very happy," said Bumrah.
KL Rahul took his tally to seven catches in the match, and overall the Indian slip cordon gave a good performance as compared to England.
Additionally, Bumrah spoke about the inputs he received from coach Bharat Arun in preparation for his Test comeback.
"I was injured but I was able to bowl in the nets. Even when I was back home, I was trying to train in the gym, whatever I could do, maybe run on the treadmill. But I was always focusing and keeping an eye on what works over here that suits my bowling.
"I was just focusing on that, keeping an eye on what both teams were doing in the first two games -- what's helping them, and what is successful here. I was just trying to keep an eye and replicate that in the nets sessions.
"Try to get into the groove pretty quickly - that was my basic aim," he signed off. (PTI)
Nottingham, Aug 21: Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara admitted that he was under pressure to score runs and credited his county stints for providing him the confidence to bat in English conditions and overturn his poor form during the third Test here.
Pujara scored 72 runs and added 113 runs with skipper Virat Kohli as India piled on 352-7 decl. and set an imposing 521-run target for England to win the third Test.
"Playing County cricket did help me. I've learnt a lot. Although I didn't score too many runs in County cricket but I was playing on challenging pitches. I think I was always confident," said Pujara.
"I always felt that I was batting well especially in the nets, especially the way I was timing the ball. I was very confident that I was up for a big one.
"The way I batted in this innings, I felt that whatever I was working on in the nets, it came along. Really pleased to score those 72 runs, valuable 72 runs for the team," he added.
Pujara overcame a poor run of form wherein he averaged 14.66 in the past nine innings, with his last half-century coming in Johannesburg on a green-top against South Africa.
The batsman said he did feel pressure because of that poor form.
"Yes (I did feel pressure). To be honest there is always some pressure especially when you have not scored too many runs. Even as a team as a batting unit, before this Test match, collectively we hadn't scored too many runs," he said.
"It was important all our top-order starts scoring runs, especially in this Test match. The way our opening batsmen batted in first innings and second innings, I think lot of credit goes to them because sometimes it's not about scoring big 50s or 100s.
"If they score 30 or 40 runs it is quite valuable for the team. I think both innings we got off to more than 50 runs without losing any wicket which is always important," he said.
Talking about his recent run-outs and poor shot selections, Pujara said, "Sometimes if you are playing this game, there will be different modes of dismissals. I am not too concerned about them. The important thing today is the way we batted as a unit and the number of runs we scored.
"And we are very well balanced in this Test match. We are looking forward to tomorrow rather than worrying about what happened in the past or the way our batsmen got out. We should be really happy with the amount of runs we have."
Pujara said one needs to trusts one's technique to score runs in this conditions.
"You just need to trust your technique, your temperament and be confident about how you know to play in such condition," he said.
"Ultimately wherever you go, especially for all the Indian batsmen when we play away from home, whether in England, South Africa or Australia or New Zealand, I think we just need to trust our technique.
"Everyone has a different technique, and everyone has a way to play. We just need to play the way we know as a batsman."
The 30-year-old also credited his partner after Kohli scored his 23rd Test hundred during India's second innings yesterday.
"He batted brilliantly. He has been batting well since the first Test match. He is in good touch and is making the most of it. Some shots that he is playing on this pitch are very difficult for any other batsman to execute and that shows he is in good form and batting really well," he said.
Pujara said they had a clear game plan against James Anderson when he and Kohli started batting on day three.
"Anderson is a great bowler no doubt but facing him in 2014 in similar conditions has helped me. I knew what areas he bowls in and what should be my game plan. I was clear with my game plan. I think facing him in the past helped me because I've played him even in Indian conditions," he said.
"It's always challenging to bat against them. But the way we had our partnership, especially in the first session, I think we knew what we wanted to do. You just have to respect the conditions and the way they bowled. We had our game plan and we stuck to it. I think we won that session," he added.
England played out nine overs last evening, but now face six sessions to bat and save this third Test and prevent India from making a comeback in this five-match series.
"There is enough help for the fast bowlers. In the first session we saw a number of deliveries rose and many balls also stayed low. But the way we bowled in the first innings, if we bowl like that we have a good chance of bowling them out tomorrow," Pujara signed off. (PTI)
Nottingham, Aug 20: England batsman Jos Buttler has lamented that they should have done better after being placed at 54 for no loss at one point of the third Test against India here.
Hardik Pandya took 5-28 as England were bowled out for 161 runs, conceding a 168-run lead that swelled up to 292 runs at stumps on day two.
"It's very disappointing after a really good start to the day as well, picking up those early wickets and being 50 for none. We let that slip. It's important we can recognise why it's happened, and improve," said Buttler yesterday.
"It's been tough for the batsmen (at times) throughout this series. When we've got that momentum, when we've been bowling, it felt like we were going to take a wicket every ball.
"It comes down to how can you wrestle back the initiative maybe with a counter-attacking style or someone trying to sit in and be a bit of a limpet for an hour and ride that session out. But obviously we weren't good enough to do that today," he added.
Buttler said that the key is to not repeat mistakes in the second innings if England are to improve their showing.
"It comes down to the guys working hard, being disciplined, practice, all of the above. It's hard, it's not easy it's not meant to be easy. Test cricket tests individuals and teams in tough ways. It takes a lot of character for us to come back from tough situations like this.
"Guys have got to improve. We know that as a side - to get to where we want to go, we need to eradicate these collapses. The key is trying not to make the same mistakes. You can't keep doing the same thing over and over again, whether that's as an individual or as a team.
"We know in England conditions can be tough favourable for swing bowling. Credit to India, I thought they bowled really well and got the ball moving around, and we weren't good enough to deal with that today."
The batsman said that they didn't rule out India from the series after taking a 2-0 lead and will fight hard on day three to make a comeback in this Test.
"India were ever going to go anywhere. They're the number one ranked side in the world and they're there for a reason. It was always going to be a competitive series. Just because they were 2-0 down I don't think we could have taken anything lightly. We probably didn't quite hit our straps as well as we would have liked the first morning with the ball as well.
"Winning the toss brings pressure to take wickets and we didn't quite execute as well as we would have liked. I think it's always going to be a competitive series against the number one team in the world so they were always going to come back strongly," said Buttler.
"It looks like, when one side has that momentum, it seems hard to wrestle back. It's hard for sides to get back into games. Yes, of course otherwise there's no point turning up. I think any professional sportsman takes pride in playing for their country and we'll turn up tomorrow and we'll be fighting hard," he said. (PTI)
Nottingham, Aug 20: All-rounder Hardik Pandya has said that comparisons with Indian legend Kapil Dev are unwarranted and that he should be left alone to perform on the basis of his capabilities.
Pandya took career-best figures of 5-28 as England were bowled out for 161 in reply to India's 329. The visitors finished day two on 124-2, thus taking an overall 292-run lead.
The all-rounder also took on his critics saying he doesn't play for them.
"Comparisons are fine. But the problem with this (comparison) is that all of a sudden when something goes wrong and they are like he is not that. I have never wanted to be Kapil Dev. Let me be Hardik Pandya. I am good at being Hardik Pandya, and I have reached here till now played 40 ODIs and 10 Tests being Hardik Pandya, not Kapil Dev.
"They have created their era, let me be Hardik Pandya. Let's stop comparing me with anyone. I will be happy if you don't," he said yesterday after a game-changing performance.
Pandya ran through the England line-up after Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah were unable to hit the right lengths.
"I don't play for them (critics). They are getting paid for saying things which I don't even want to know or care. I play for my country. I am doing the right thing. My team is happy with me, nothing else matters," he said, aiming his guns at the recent criticism that has come after defeats in Birmingham and Lord's.
He said that nothing had changed from the previous matches, whilst also commended the efforts of Ishant Sharma who took 2-32 and revealed that he shares a great chemistry with the seasoned pacer.
"We were bowling the same length that we were bowling in the other games as well. It's just that we were getting enough swing and obviously the situation was such if they played a bad shot it would be India on the up again. So we had the cushion of having runs under the belt," he said.
"If you see the other two games I have done the same thing (bring variations in wrist and grip position). It's just that today I got the wickets, that's it. I feel that with my bowling style it is important to it because they will get used to it if I come and bowl with the same length.
"I don't swing both ways that much, and my outswing is my main ball so that's why I keep on using. It makes difficult for them to get it exactly where I am bowling," he added.
Talking about Sharma's influence, Pandya said, "Ishant and I, we keep talking about the game because I love to improve no matter how. So as bowlers we keep on taking. Captain has lots of things under his belt here, so as a bowling unit we need to step up and think in our way as well. We are going to make life difficult for the batsmen and Ishant was telling me the same thing don't go for the wickets.
"If you keep bowling at the rights areas, you have the talent to get them. That's the same thing I tell him and same thing that we tell other bowlers too. Keep it tight, let's see what they do, let's check their patience and once again we saw the result what happens."
Last year in Sri Lanka, Pandya had scored his maiden Test hundred at Pallekele. He said that the five-wicket haul gave him more pleasure.
"I am happier with taking a five-wicket haul than scoring a hundred. I have taken very few five wicket hauls. I think this is the second of my life, and it has come at a very important place/juncture so I am very happy, said the all-rounder.
"Yes England have a few important players. If you get them out, they get into trouble. But cricket is a very funny game. If you see the Lord's Test, the game was equal and all of a sudden (Chris) Woakes came and scored a hundred.
"So, all are capable, and that's why they are playing for England. I always believe that till we don't get eleven (wickets), we should not be relaxed. They have problems but we will like to take them as many times as we get," he added.
Last but not the least, he praised youngster Rishabh Pant who became the first Indian wicketkeeper to take five catches in his first Test.
"Rishabh Pant is an amazing player. The confidence he has when I was new in the team, I was same like that. I get that feeling when I see him and it hasn't been too many years for me either. Looking at the confidence in him, he will play for long. He is a horse for the long race. He will do well and he is not afraid of anything. If in this field, if someone plays as freely, success will come," said Pandya.
"Even yesterday when he came in, the way he batted was amazing. He was saying 'I am nervous'. I looked at the board and said 'I have played 55 balls and scored 18, you are already 18 in some 23 balls'.
"We were making fun as well and he is amazing behind the stumps, KL (Rahul) as well when you know someone is catching so well, you know as a bowler if you create a chance they will grab it," he signed off. (PTI)
Nottingham, Aug 18: England skipper Joe Root won the toss and elected to field against India in the third cricket Test at Trent Bridge here on Saturday.
India made three changes to the playing XI, handing young wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant his maiden Test cap, while fit-again Jasprit Bumrah was back in the fold replacing Kuldeep Yadav and Shikhar Dhawan came in for Murali Vijay.
England made just one change, bringing in all-rounder Ben Stokes in place of Sam Curran.
Teams:
India: Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (w), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah
England: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (c), Ollie Pope, Jonny Bairstow (w), Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, James Anderson. (PTI)
Nottingham, Aug 17: Shaken by abject surrender in the first two Tests, a desperate India are expected to ring in a slew of changes as they aim at redemption against a rampaging England in a do-or-die third Test, starting tomorrow.
For Indian team, the Trent Bridge Test will be their last chance to save the series after being outplayed in the first two Test matches -- by 31 runs Edgbaston and innings and 159 runs at the Lord's.
Down 0-2 with only five and half days of competitive cricket in all, skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri will be aiming to get the team combination right having bungled at the Lord's.
As a result, India will play their 38th combination in as many matches that skipper Kohli had led.
The most awaited change will be 20-year-old Rishabh Pant's imminent Test debut replacing a horribly out-of-form Dinesh Karthik, who might well have played his last international game in the longest format.
With scores of 0, 20, 1 & 0 in four innings coupled with shoddy glovework meant that Karthik was seen giving catching practice to Pant, who also spend considerable time batting at the nets.
Being hailed as Mahendra Singh Dhoni's successor, Pant's entry into the squad happened after three half-centuries in the two first-class matches against England Lions.
Despite a triple hundred and a healthy first-class average of 54 plus, it will still be baptism by fire for the Roorkee-born youngster. He will be facing Messrs Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran, ready to make life miserable for him just like they have done with his illustrious seniors.
If Pant's Test debut has generated a lot of interest, there is a prayer on every fan's lips that skipper Kohli gets fit enough to wield the willow.
It is the impact of the last defeat in swing-friendly conditions across just over six sessions that is still hurting the Indian camp. Throughout the week, they have been left picking up the pieces, mostly in terms of re-evaluating fitness of their key players.
In that aspect atleast, there is some good news. Jasprit Bumrah is fit again; Ravichandran Ashwin and Hardik Pandya have recovered completely from their hand injuries suffered while batting at Lords, and skipper Kohli has more or less recovered from his back problems.
Never has an injury invoked so much interest since Sachin Tendulkar's tennis elbow. Kohli's condition seemed to have improved a lot and as he had maintained, he will be out there at the toss alongside Joe Root.
This is where the hard part begins for India. Having admitted their mistake in picking two spinners at Lord's, it is about time skipper Kohli and coach Shastri hit upon the optimal team combination.
Nevertheless, there are bound to be changes in the playing eleven for some vital members of the squad are now seemingly bereft of confidence.
Murali Vijay, for example, has scored only 128 runs in 10 overseas Test innings against South Africa and England. An average of 12.8 is tough to ignore, but for a batsman of his calibre, the team management could still afford another chance given that India need to win this game.
At the same time however, it brings Shikhar Dhawan back into contention. He averages 17.75 against South Africa and England in two Tests this year, and his overall average in England is 20.12 (four Tests). In these two instances, he has scored at a strike-rate of 68.93 and 57.29, respectively, which could once again go in his favour.
Thus, there is every chance that India could opt for their third different opening pairing of Dhawan and KL Rahul in as many Tests, the middle order will be untouched. Especially with Kohli regaining fitness, Karun Nair still isn't seen to be active during practice sessions. It was the case in Birmingham and London, as well as in Nottingham, and playing an extra specialist batsman is not in the management's immediate plans as yet.
If it so transpires, Umesh Yadav will once again be unlucky to miss out, for the team management will be eager to get their best possible combination out on the field.
The pitch at Trent Bridge bore a different look than 2014, when these two teams met here. India scored 457 and 391/9 decl in two innings on a flat surface, as England had scored 496 whilst batting once and the match petered out to a draw.
The forecast for this third Test is of decent cloud cover through the first four days, and if the Indian team takes into consideration, they would surely opt for just the lone spinner.
Meanwhile, England have a big selection headache on their hands. Ben Stokes' re-assimilation in the squad has gone off smoothly, and after spending the past week away, he went through rigorous batting and bowling sessions on Thursday.
He got a decent reception from a sizeable fan gathering ahead of the game, but how the crowd reacts to his presence in the game on Saturday could be a worry for the team management.
Teams:
India: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant, Karun Nair, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
England: Joe Root (c), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Oliver Pope, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Jamie Porter, Sam Curran, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Ben Stokes. Match starts at: 3.30 pm IST. (PTI)
Nottingham, Jul 13: India captain Virat Kohli is tempted to play his 'key weapons' Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in the upcoming five-Test series against England, considering the wrists spinners' stellar performance in the ongoing limited overs leg of the tour.
While Kuldeep has already played two Tests, Chahal is yet to earn the coveted cap in the longest version of the game.
"Anything is possible with the selections for Tests and there might be a few surprises. Kuldeep is making a strong case for himself and so is Chahal. And looking at the way, the English batsmen have struggled against them, we might be tempted to do it," said Kohli after India's emphatic win in the opening ODI yesterday.
"But the focus now is winning the next two games. Especially the next game, looking at it from the series perspective. The weather has been lovely. It has been very welcoming. The crowd support has been brilliant. The tour is really long and there is some tough cricket ahead of us which we are looking forward to," the skipper added.
Kuldeep especially has been lethal both in the T20s and now ODIs. In the opening ODI, he set up a comprehensive win with a career-best six for 25. The English batsmen have failed to pick him and he has already amassed 18 wickets on the tour including the two T20s against Ireland.
Both Kuldeep and Chahal have grabbed the opportunities with both hands ever since they were preferred over the experience duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the shorter formats of the game.
As Kohli hinted, the wrist-spinners might get a go in the five-day format as well, starting with the England series.
Kohli praised Kuldeep as well as vice-captain Rohit Sharma, who scored an unbeaten 137.
"Those wrist spinners in the middle overs are going to be tricky. Given more overs and more time in the middle, they become even more lethal. Kuldeep was outstanding. To give away 25 runs and pick up 6 wickets on that kind of a wicket, I don't think I have seen a better spell of bowling in ODIs of late.
"After that, Rohit batted very long and finished the game for us. We made a tactical decision (at Bristol) looking at the dimensions of the ground and the breeze flowing into the shorter boundary.
"When it comes to longer game, you need players to make an impact. These two wrist spinners have been making the difference since they have come in. They did it in South Africa in the middle overs. They remain as our key weapons," Kohli added.
England captain Eoin Morgan said his team will have to improve against Indian spinners if it has to bounce back in the series.
"Playing spin against India is one challenge that hopefully we will keep improving upon. But today we were well off the mark. I think both the games there has been more turn than on the grounds that we have played on and that is one thing probably that we have identified," said Morgan.
"I think Lord's (second ODI) will be different as it won't offer a great deal of turn. But certainly he (Kuldeep) extracted more turn out of this than any other spinner. We need to improve as a side. The seamers on this wicket come on to the bat and hence the high scoring nature of the ground. We need to expose our areas of weakness before the World Cup and this seems to be one of them," he added. (PTI)
Nottingham, Jul 11: On a high after an impressive Twenty20 series win, an upbeat India will eye another dominant performance against hosts England in a three- match ODI series, which can be termed as a 'dry run' ahead of the World Cup next year.
With cricket's blue riband tournament scheduled to be held in UK next year, the ODI series will give Virat Kohli an ideal opportunity to get a drift about the conditions that his men are expected to encounter at exactly same time next year.
While India will be buoyed by their 2-1 T20 series win, England, the top ranked ODI team in world cricket, come into the series having crushed a below-par Australia 6-0 in their last bilateral engagement.
England have been one of the finest 50 over sides in recent times and India will have their task cut against a batting line-up comprising Jos Buttler, Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Jonny Bairstow and Eoin Morgan. Add Ben Stokes to it and England bear a formidable look.
It is a reputation built on fearless, attacking cricket that has seen England win 46 out of 69 ODIs since a disastrous 2015 World Cup. Their last bilateral series' defeat came in India in January 2017, with only a freak one-off loss to Scotland in the interim.
The series will also enable Indian team management to mix and match the various combinations, keeping World Cup in mind.
KL Rahul's stupendous form has been a happy headache for the team management and there is a possibility that the captain might come at No 4 in order to give Rahul a chance to make optimum use of his current form.
Rahul scored a 70 against Ireland and followed it by an unbeaten 101 against England in the first T20.
He will, in all likelihood, be the missing jigsaw puzzle at the top of the order for skipper Kohli. With both Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma being automatic selections at the top of the order, Rahul, who is also a specialist opener comes in at No 3.
If the same batting order is followed, skipper Kohli, who has been world's best ODI batsman by a distance, will have to drop himself a notch down at No 4.
The seasoned pair of Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni along with all-rounder Hardik Pandya are expected to form the middle-order.
Yuzvendra Chahal is a certainty as the wrist spinner and Kuldeep Yadav, who has created all sorts of doubts in the minds of the batsmen, may just comeback into the playing XI as the Trent Bridge ground is much bigger than the one at Bristol.
If the team management thinks of playing an extra pacer, Siddarth Kaul or Shardul Thakur might come into play.
If Bhuvneshwar Kumar recovers from the stiff back, he will be sharing the new ball with Umesh Yadav.
For England, the series against Australia was a real morale booster where the team scored a world record total 481 in one of the ODIs.
Buttler, whose dream run has continued since the start of the IPL, will like to continue his rich vein of form. He is one of the batsmen, who has been able to read the two wrist spinners quite well.
Along with Roy, the duo will like to take advantage of the Powerplay overs knowing fully well that some of the middle order batsmen including Test captain Joe Root and skipper Morgan himself are not exactly picking up Kuldeep's wrong 'uns.
Post the Champions Trophy, starting from June last year, India have played 27 ODIs against West Indies, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, both at home and away and at least one wrist spinner has featured in all these games.
Kuldeep (39 wickets in 20 ODIs at average 20.02) and Chahal (43 wickets in 23 ODIs at average 21.83) have proved their worth since making debuts but their ultimate test will be against England.
The hosts have a penchant for high scores. Since that World Cup in Australia-New Zealand, this English batting line-up has accumulated 300-plus scores 31 times in 69 matches, inclusive of 23 wins. On 11 occasions, they have crossed 350 and have surpassed the 400-mark thrice.
It certainly won't be a walk in the park for India.
Squads:
India: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, MS Dhoni (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shreyas Iyer, Siddarth Kaul, Axar Patel, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
England: Eoin Morgan (c), Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Jake Ball, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Ben Stokes, Adil Rashid, David Willey, Mark Wood. (PTI)
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