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India and England are ready to face each other in the upcoming four-match Test series, beginning from February 5.
The first two Test matches will take place at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai., while Sardar Patel Stadium plays host for the next two games in Ahmedabad.
Post the Test series, both the teams will lock horns in five T20 Internationals (T20Is) and three One Day Internationals (ODIs).
Ahead of England’s two-month long-tour of India, cricket experts have started coming up with their predictions or team combinations. Ex-India cricketer Aakash Chopra has revealed his India’s playing XI for the 4-match series opener. Following the bandwagon, former England middle-order batsman Owais Shah has come up with the series’s prophecy.
Shah, who appeared for England in 6 Tests and 71 ODIs, opined that the Virat Kohli and Co. would seal the Test series by 2-1.
The 42-year-old believed that England team lacks bowlers who can puzzle the Indian batsmen on their pitches.
“I don’t think we have the bowlers to do the business in India, unfortunately, this time. I think it might be 2-1 to India,” Shah said while speaking to Sports Today.
England spinners will be tested in India
Both the nations will enter the series with high confidence. Where India had registered historic victory in the Test series against Australia by 2-1, England crushed Sri Lanka by 2-0 in the two-match series.
However, Shah was of the opinion that Joe Root and Co. would face some problems in India, especially against India’s star-studded batting line-up as the English spinners like Dom Bess and Jack Leach lack experience in the longest format.
“England will get a lot of confidence from what they did in Sri Lanka. 2-0 is a really good achievement. Also, the conditions they were given, the ball was turning from Day 1 of the first Test, which is unlike a Test wicket. It was challenging conditions, and the way England came out on top was pretty impressive.
“I don’t think the bowlers, the two spinners Dom Bess and Jack Leach, probably didn’t bowl their best but they still managed to win the Tests. They did really well on tracks that were turning, how the batsmen played on it and applied themselves. But I think the spin bowling department will really be tested against the strong batting line-up of India,” Shah added.
