A lot is brewing up in the lead-up to the marquee Test series between India and England starting January 25 in Hyderabad. Though the hosts are ready to walk out in the middle with the same template that kept them on the winning side at home for over a decade now, ex-England captain Nasser Hussain feels with Bazball getting ready for its maiden India tour, results are likely to differ this time.

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Knowing how dangerous India is at home, especially in Tests, Hussain thinks this new-look England Team will walk in with the similar mindset that brought life into Test cricket since the appointment of Stokes and McCullum in the leadership group. 

The home team has picked a potent team for the first two Tests, with all four of Ravi Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav on the 16-man squad. England also named the uncapped duo of Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir, alongside picking rookie Rehan Ahmed and Jack Leach in their team.

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Hussain feels if India continues to ask for rank-turners this time across five Tests, they might just shoot themselves in the foot, given how dangerous English spinners could prove on such tracks. 

Also, while mentioning Bazball, Hussain backed the ultra-attacking approach to breach India’s stronghold on such pitches at home.

“‘I think what India should do is ask for good pitches that spin a bit because I think their spinners and batters will then out-bat and out-spin ours,” Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports.

”If they ask for pitches that spin a lot then it becomes a bit of a lottery and brings England’s spinners into the game. The way Bazball goes about its business, they won’t die wondering,” the former captain added.

England ‘all set’ for India

England was the last team that won a Test series on Indian soil in 2012 under the leadership of Alastair Cook. 

12 years later, Ben Stokes has a chance to rewrite history.

However, Hussain, who commentated during the 2023 World Cup, noticed how several home fans were eagerly waiting to put Bazball to bed come the Test series. 

“My sense in the World Cup was that a lot of Indian fans are waiting to see how to put Bazball to bed,” Hussain noted while expecting an exciting contest between both teams. 

India vs England 2024 Test schedule –

• 1st Test – January 25-29 – Hyderabad
• 2nd Test – February 2-6 – Vizag
• 3rd Test – February 15-19 – Rajkot
• 4th Test – February 23-27 – Ranchi
• 5th Test – March 7-11 – Dharamsala

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