“I think India will win, their spinners are better” – Former England captain’s blunt take ahead of 5-match Test series in India

Former England captain Michael Atherton has picked India as the winner of their upcoming five-match Test series at home.

The cricketer-turned-commentator reckons England spinners are no match to India’s spin quartet of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav.

It's noteworthy that India have won 16 consecutive Test home series since a 2-1 loss to England in 2012. It includes 4-0 and 3-1 wins over England in 2016-17 and 2020-21, respectively.

Atherton recently told Sky Sports:

“I think India will win. Their spinners are better than England’s, and that will be the defining thing in the end. If you go to India, spin will play a big part. It historically has done, and I suspect it always will do. India do have a very strong seam attack as well.”

Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel had bagged 32 and 27 wickets when India won the Test series 3-1 in 2020-21. Ashwin, in particular, has scalped 88 wickets in 19 Tests against England. The off-spinner needs just 10 wickets to complete 500 Test wickets.

---

“It will be a particular challenge for them” – Michael Atherton on England spinners

Michael Atherton feels that England have a good left-arm spinner Jack Leach, but the remaining three spinners lack experience:

“England have a solid left-arm spinner in Jack Leach and then three very inexperienced spinners after that with Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed.

"It will be a particular challenge for them but the selectors see a high ceiling for them.”

For the unversed, Jack Leach bagged 18 wickets in four Tests during England’s last Test series in India. He will look to continue his exploits with the ball in the upcoming five-match Test series.

Among the others, Rehan Ahmed bagged seven wickets in one Test during England's tour of Pakistan in 2022-23. Meanwhile, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir are yet to make their Test debut.

The opening Test will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad from January 25.

2024 England tour of India schedule:

1st Test: January 25-29 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad

2nd Test: February 2-6 at ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Vizag

3rd Test: February 15-19 at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot

4th Test: February 23-27 at the JSCA Cricket Stadium Complex in Ranchi

5th Test: March 7-11 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala