Ex-England batsman Graham Thorpe tells All Out Cricket that he expects a tight encounter this summer as Andrew Strauss’ England prepare to take on the world’s top-ranked Test nation in a four-match Test series.
The national lead batting coach is wary of underestimating the Indians, despite their slow start to the tour in the warm-up fixture against Somerset, and expects the series to be claimed by the side that can win the key battles at crucial moments. “India are a good side. They’ve got a very experienced batting line-up and a decent bowling attack as well,” Thorpe told AOC. “To me, on paper, it’s a very even contest. I think the pitches could define which way the series goes.”
Following a plea from Chris Tremlett for bouncy pitches that suit England’s bowlers, there has been talk that the wickets would be tailored in the home side’s favour. Thorpe suggested that, even if this is the case, England will still have their work cut out. “I wouldn’t suggest we play it on green seamers because I don’t think their attack is bad; Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel – they’ll be decent on seaming tracks, which is why it’s quite even. In terms of turning wickets as well, you’ve got Harbhajan Singh, you’ve got Graeme Swann. I don’t think there’s much to call between the sides, I’m really looking forward to it.”
The Surrey man, who was never able to score a Test match century against India, chose not to pick out key individuals in England’s side, and instead hammered home the importance of teamwork and togetherness. “You want all your big players to stand up but the fact is some of them will have bad days. When it is your day you have to make a matchwinning contribution. If your mate doesn’t get any runs and you get in, you’ve got to support him and make sure it’s your day.”
It has been suggested in some quarters that India, now coached by Duncan Fletcher, will not have had enough time to adapt to English conditions by the time the first Test begins on July 21. Having just come off the back of a tour of West Indies, Fletcher’s side struggled in their solitary warm-up fixture at Taunton.
“I’m sure in an ideal world they would have liked more; they probably would have wanted another warm-up game but schedules are tight these days,” said Thorpe. “On one of my last tours we played South Africa A in Potchefstroom and we lost, luckily we won the first Test and we only won it because we had an experienced side. I think India will feel they have enough experience in that side to know what they need to, they’ll switch their brains on to Test match cricket.”
Thorpe’s view is that in such an evenly contested series, the team that stands firm in the definitive moments will prevail. “I think it will be a top series, and it will come down to the side that wins the crucial parts of Test matches. There’ll be a lot of even play and then all of a sudden a player on one side is going to produce a brilliant bowling spell or a great knock in a session which turns the game. It’s going to be that sort of series.”
