4 weaknesses of the English Test team that India need to exploit

The much anticipated 5 match Test series between India and England will kick-start from 1st August 2018. Team India started the tour confidently by winning the T-20 series, but lost the decider in the ODI leg of the tour.

The Indian Test team seems to be a well settled unit having been in England for more than a month.

Their opponents England on the other hand have had their share of problems and managed to draw a Test series against a young Pakistan team early this summer.

Traditionally India have struggled in England in Tests and have won only 6 Tests and lost 30. In 17 Test series played between the two nations in England, India have won just 3 series viz. in 1971, 1986 and 2007.

There are a few weaknesses of the English team which the Indian team management will have in their minds at the beginning of the Test series. Here is a look at 5 such weaknesses which team India should take advantage of:

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#4. Inexperienced third seam bowler

Sam Curran has played a solitary Test for England

The likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad will miss an experienced first change bowler, at least in the first Test at Edgbaston.

Sam Curran, who made his debut against Pakistan is likely to be a part of the playing 11 in the first Test. The 20 year old left handed fast bowler from Surrey will be the bowler India are likely to target considering his inexperience at the Test level.

Curran lacks the experience of Chris Woakes, who has failed to make it to the England squad due to an injury. The main role of Curran will be to maintain pressure on the Indian batsmen as a first change bowler.

Another option for England is the uncapped bowling all rounder James Porter from Essex. Porter has played 62 First Class games but lacks the experience of playing Test cricket and might find it difficult to adjust to the longest format of cricket against a strong Indian batting outfit, if and when he gets an opportunity to represent England.

#3. Lack of a world class spinner:

Adil Rashid last played a Test for England in December, 2016

Moeen Ali troubled the Indian batsmen on their last tour of England in 2014 and bagged 19 wickets at an average of 23. However, it is unlikely that the part time off-spinner will be a threat this time around for the Indian team.

Ali has struggled with the ball in recent past and has averaged 39.95 in 2015, 53.03 in 2016, 31.64 in 2017 and 114.50 in 2018.

The averages of Ali with the ball in last 4 seasons is evidence that he is a part time off spinner who picks up wickets occasionally, and is unlikely to give nightmares to the Indian batsmen who are primarily good players of spin.

Another spinner named in the 13 member squad for the Edgbaston Test is Adil Rashid. The selection of Rashid has raised many eyebrows in the English media considering that Rashid had given up playing 4 day cricket in the county circuit.

Rashid has played only 10 Tests for England and has picked up 32 wickets at an average of 42.79. The leg spinner last played a Test match for England in the year 2016 against India, and it has been more than 18 months since he has been a part of the English Test team.

A weak spin attack will definitely hurt England's chances in a series where a spinner's contribution could prove to be the deciding factor.

#2 Indifferent form of Ben Stokes

Stokes has struggled on his come back in the Indian team

Since his comeback to the English Test team in the year 2018, Stokes has not been able to create an impact, and has failed to live up to the expectations.

In the comeback series against New Zealand in New Zealand early this year, the all-rounder averaged 25.75 in 4 Test innings with the bat, and failed to pick up a wicket with the ball.

He managed to play just one Test against Pakistan early this summer and scored just 47 runs in 2 innings and picked up 3 wickets with the ball.

Stokes's form could hurt England as they rely heavily on him to score vital runs at number 7 and pick up wickets as the second change bowler.

If India manage to keep Stokes quiet, they will increase their chances of succeeding in the 5 match Test series.

#1. Unsettled opening combination

Jennings will partner Cook at the top of the order in the first Test against India

At present, Alastair Cook is the highest run scorer for England in Test cricket with 12,145 runs in 282 innings at an average of 45.66. However, since the retirement of Andrew Strauss in the year 2012, Cook has had 12 partners in the last 6 years.

The one chosen for the first Test against India is Keaton Jennings. The left handed opener has the distinction of scoring a century on debut against India at the Wankhede stadium in 2016.

Jennings had scores of 112, 0, 1 and 54 in 4 innings against India. An average of 41. 75 with a century and a half-century in his first 4 innings in Test cricket led to his selection in the home series against South Africa in 2017.

Jennings struggled against South Africa with scores of 8, 33, 0, 3, 0, 48, 17 and 18 and failed miserably in the 4 match Test series. An average of 15.88 in 8 innings forced the selectors to drop him from the squad.

Jennings made a comeback to the Test team against Pakistan in 2018 and scored 29 runs in the Test.

Jennings has till date scored 323 runs in 13 Test innings at an average of 24. 85. He is definitely not in the best of form and the Indian team will look to attack him and get his wicket early to put England under early pressure.