Former England captain Michael Atherton has backed Ben Stokes-led England to win the five-match Test series in India after their terrific win in the series opener in Hyderabad. Stokes & Co. produced a remarkable comeback in the first Test, after conceding a 190-run lead, to win the game by 28 runs courtesy of Ollie Pope’s 196 and debutant spinner Tom Hartley’s 7 for 62.

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Ahead of India-England’s second Test in Visakhapatnam, which got underway on Friday (Feb 2), Atherton feels it will be disappointing if England do not end up winning the series after the kind of start they had in Hyderabad. 

‘England have an excellent chance of building on their lead’

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In his column at the Times, Atherton said, “England have moved from heavy second favourites to a situation where it would be a disappointment now if they did not win the series. Such an outcome, so unexpected and so unbelievable given where both teams were on first innings, must have a huge psychological impact, especially given the quick turnaround and the injuries to two of India’s key players, Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul. England have an excellent chance of building on their lead.”

Atherton also opined on Virat Kohli‘s absence and how it was dearly missed in his side’s shocking loss in Hyderabad. In this regard, he stated, “How significant Kohli’s absence was became apparent during the first Test, given how badly they missed his appetite for big runs, his safe catching at slip, his ability to withstand pressure and his passionate attitude in the field.”

He added, “Rohit Sharma is a captain in a very different mould from his predecessor [Kohli] — at once more laid-back, albeit not quite so passive as MS Dhoni. As England began to get ahead in Hyderabad, Kohli’s electric presence in the field, as much as anything, was missed. It would not have been hard to imagine the way he would have tried to whip up the crowd and the way his energy would have been transmitted to others.”

Kohli is out of action till the second Test due to personal reasons. However, nothing official has come regarding his return from the third Test of the five-match series. 

Meanwhile, Rohit-led India won the toss and opted to bat first in the Vizag Test on Friday morning. They are behind 0-1 and will desperately be hungry to level it going ahead.

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