England and Wales Cricket Board announced a schedule for next summer’s test matches which promises some mouth-watering contests. For once, the Ashes is the appetiser.
Two tests against Pakistan get 2018 under way, followed by a five-match series against the current world number one, India. That won’t have changed by the time the first ball is bowled at Edgbaston; India will still be ranked number one by the ICC. A confident prediction but with the current state of the world game, not a bold one.
For England, it’s a chance to measure their improvement from the wretched tour of 2016 where a whitewash was only avoided by the draw in Rajkot. The batting was simply dreadful; by the time of the fifth test, their bowling disintegrated as well. India recorded 759 runs in their one innings at Chennai. To put that inning into context, England only exceeded that once with their combined innings total during the tour.
Since then, South Africa and the West Indies both came a cropper this summer. While the former are on a par with England, the latter continue to flatter to deceive and still await a return to anything more than a pale shadow of their former glories.
Despite everything, the headlines will declare England favourites to win this season and also the preceding two-match series against Pakistan. Against the Indians, history certainly favours the hosts with the 2007 Pataudi Trophy triumph their last series defeat at home to these particular tourists. The five subsequent series weigh 3 - 2 in England’s favour. You can’t compare now to a decade ago, as much as the esteemed Fourth Estate might wish to.
Online bookmakers Betway aren’t convinced England will be in the best shape. The Ashes tour sees Australia cast as favourites, at 4/7 while England are 9/4. The form book may look good for England but there are problems to address with bat; consistency is a big question England must answer.
BRAINS OR BRAWN: INDIA’S SPIN DILEMMA
India meanwhile must consider their attack. The wickets are unlikely to favour the inclusion of the two finger spinners, Ashwin and Jadeja. The latter enjoyed six and seven wicket hauls in recent tests against Sri Lanka and the prospect of his slow left arm orthodox bowling combined with Kuldeep Yadav’s left arm chinaman will give the England batsmen plenty to chew on during the summer.
It’s by no means certain than anyone other than Kuldeep will be in the starting line-up for the first test. Ashwin was rested for the recent ODI against Sri Lanka and during that time played for Worcestershire as he seeks to acclimatise to British wickets. However, his bowling averages in his first three matches showed him conceding 3.70 runs per over. In a test, such largesse will be punished.
The increasingly humid English summers almost demand three seamers, leaving the tourists with one space to be filled, almost certainly by an all-rounder. Away tours demand a five-man attack, particularly with the England bowlers considered one of best in the world at present. Anderson, Broad, Stokes, Jones have the pace while Moeen Ali the guile. It is the most consistent and capable attack to wear the England shirt for a few years. There is plenty of experience
While India’s batting line-up possess plenty of talent, there is a history of flattering to deceive overseas. Rahane encapsulated the issues during the recent series in Sri Lanka. A promising 57 in Galle was followed by 132 in Colombo. Yet the final innings of the tour saw him claim just 17. Yet in the West Indies, he notched a century, two half centuries and still maintains an average of 47.61. England beware.
The crowds at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Trent Bridge, The Rose Bowl, and The Oval are in for a treat. The crowds will be appreciative of the fare on offer and certainly very passionate in support of the tourists. They always are with England vs India second only to the Ashes in world cricket.
India earned their number one ranking by winning games and will no doubt be well prepared for the summer series. A four-match series in South Africa with 8 limited overs fixtures in the winter marks the first of three series against the second, third and fifth ranked teams, with a trip to Australia to round-off an intense and for supporters, rewarding 2018 schedule.
