Nasser Hussain
Cricket & columnist
“If Brisbane in the Ashes were the next Test after this series, would we put our best side? So why when it ‘s the first Test against India, one of the big sides , we are not putting our best team, “said Nasser Hussain on England ‘s rotation policy
Last updated: 23/01/21 2:33 pm
Jonny Bairstow takes a break for England’s first two trials against India in Chennai
England will play their first two Tests against India without Jonny Bairstow as the batsman gets his rest in an exciting year of 17 Tests and the T20 World Cup.
But is that the right call from the electorate or should Bairstow line up against Virat Kohli ‘s men in Chennai from February 5?
Sky Sports Cricket’s Nasser Hussain gives his opinion on a tight balancing act in a time of biosecurity bubbles, as well as whether sailors in the form of Stuart Broad and James Anderson should play together in India and England. Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley fight against spinning in Sri Lanka…
‘England fans want the best’
I would say that it is worrying that one of the top three spinning players in England – I would say that Bairstow is with Joe Root and Ben Stokes there – has passed home and the others are going to Chennai. I had to think again.
It must be a complete nightmare what the players have been through [during these Covid times] – they had the whole summer and then they had the IPL. Then it was South Africa, now Sri Lanka, then India and then IPL again.
I get that and I don’t underestimate it – it must be a nightmare for the electorate – but should you have the best side for that first India Test?
Should you be relaxing or touring for India or will you turn to the first test of that India series, an image series, and choose your favorite side?
Make no mistake, this Indian series is going to be a lot tougher than the Ashes. This is probably one of the best Indian teams they have ever had. They beat Australia in Australia and England go into it without their best team at times. I would have chosen the best team at first and then reviewed.
Rob Key
England fans may turn on him when he turns and England 20-2 argue, ‘I want us to see our best bat against spin, or one of them, in Bairstow’ .
If Brisbane in the Ashes were the next test after this series, would we put our best side? So why when it comes to the first Test against India, one of the big sides, do we not put our best team?
That balancing act is to be fair to the public and to benefit from what lies ahead and year-round planning.
Wicket keeper Jos Buttler will fly home after the first Test against India in Chennai
I’m not saying I have all the answers. The players will have to go to the IPL because of the T20 World Cup in India later this year.
How well England planned for the 50-over World Cup. The planning for that gave England the best chance to win and the plan now is for England players to get to play as many T20 matches, IPL matches to give them the best chance of winning the T20 World Cup.
Anderson and Broad together in India?
Before this Sri Lanka series, I think England thought Broad or Anderson was unique – Broad plays one Test, Anderson the next.
But in this series Broad has played one Test and has become the best bowler and Anderson has played one and been the best bowler.
1:39 Nasser Hussain says James Anderson is getting better as he gets older after the 38-year-old gave him his 30th five-wicket in Tests.
I may have parted with them but seeing them bowl as they are, you think ‘are you going to leave 600 wikis on the side, 500 wikis on the elbow? ‘
Various aspects have erred in trying to advance India by spinning. Moeen Ali, for example, gets her wickets at 60 apiece in India. Even Shane Warne didn’t make it out in India.
Sri Lanka vs England
January 24, 2021, 4:25 am
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So maybe we’re going to leave out Anderson or Broad and play the spinner in Dom Bess. Do you think that’s the right thing to do?
If Graeme Swann is your spinner, I would say ‘yes, okay’ but right now our sailors are putting out the bowling of our spinners, so shouldn’t we show faith in them?
It would be very difficult for me to go up to Broad or Anderson in the first Test against India in Chennai and say ‘you don’t play but I play Bess’.
English sailors received 10 wikis at Galle [in Sri Lanka’s first innings of the second Test] and the spinners didn’t get one, so why are we leaving out one of our big sailors to play a second spinner we’re not sure about?
2:42 Anderson says he is always looking to improve his game after his six-wicket haul in Galle
Anderson and Broad are learning new skills and are at the top of their game. They bowl as best they ever did so I would want both of them.
They’ve had a long break – they haven’t bowled since August before the Sri Lanka series so it’s not like we’re putting them in the ground. They don’t play white ball cricket so there’s a break for both of those.
Sibley and Crawley struggle against spinning
3:37 Nasser analyzes Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley’s struggle against spinning and suggests some possible solutions.
You have to give them some traction, as with English spinning mattresses, as Crawley moves up the order from No. 3 to open the batting, while they both start against spinning.
You never know in Chennia but I think in India with Jasprit Bumrah etc they will start against a seam until they are 20 before the spinners come on.
Watch day three of the second Test between Sri Lanka and England live on Sky Sports Cricket from 4.25am on Sunday.