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Indian captain Rohit Sharma has downplayed the team’s 12-year unbeaten streak at home in Test series. He admitted that the hosts will have to play very good cricket to beat a strong England side.
Incidentally, England were the last side to beat India in India in a Test series. Led by Alastair Cook, the Englishmen trounced India 2-1 in a four-match series in 2012. England fans would be hoping for an encore under Ben Stokes.
A five-match India-England series will kick off with the first Test in Hyderabad starting Thursday, January 25. Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Rohit refused to read too much into India’s dominant Test record at home. Asked if he felt India were unbeatable in home conditions, the Indian captain replied:
"No, not at all. At the end of the day, it’s a sport. There is a possibility that you can lose as well. By no means, whatever past records that we have over the last decade or so, gives us the guarantee that we will come out on top in this series. We still have to play our best cricket.”
“England, obviously, is a very good team and the last team to beat us here, in our conditions, was England. I wouldn’t say we are not beatable. Definitely, we are,” the Indian captain frankly added.
England were hammered 3-1 in a four-match Test series during their previous visit to India in 2021.
Rohit Sharma chips in on Kuldeep vs Axar debate
While Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja look set to feature in the Indian playing XI in Hyderabad, there could be a tussle between Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav for the third spinner’s slot. Asked about the importance of both, Rohit described Kuldeep as a bowler with an X-factor, adding that Axar brings much-needed batting depth.
“Kuldeep gives you a certain X-factor with his bowling. If the wicket has bounce and even if it doesn’t, Kuldeep becomes quite a factor in those conditions. He has superb variations; he is a mature bowler now from what he was few years back,” the Indian captain said.
“Kuldeep, being the bowler that he is now, is a tempting option. But, at the same time, Axar, with his all-round ability, gives us batting depth. And the consistency he has shown playing in these conditions also is an important factor for us. It’s a good sign to have that headache,” Rohit asserted.
While Kuldeep has claimed 34 wickets in eight Tests, Axar has 50 scalps in 12 matches.
