Alastair Cook concerned over England's 'lack of match preparation' ahead of India Tests

Former England captain Alastair Cook believes the lack of preparation could hurt Ben Stokes and company during the five-match Test series against India. The series will get underway in Hyderabad on January 25.

India last lost a home Test series way back in 2012, when Cook and his men won 2-1 with some exhilarating displays of batting. However, they received three proper practice games before that Test series.

Cook reckons there should be a gentlemen's agreement between cricket boards to provide quality practice matches for visiting teams. Here's what Alastair Cook wrote in his column for 'The Sunday Times':

"The problem England will have is a lack of match preparation. It would be good if there was some sort of unwritten agreement between countries to put on decent practice matches in decent conditions for touring teams."

Cook still believes the 'Bazball' ideology is England's best chance of succeeding in India as it gives them clarity in their approach.

"I now think it is their best chance of success. They won't follow the traditional rules of batting in the subcontinent," he added.

Alastair Cook led by example in that historic Test series in 2012, scoring a staggering 562 runs from eight innings at an average of 80.28.

---

Alastair Cook backs Joe Root to score big in India

Alastair Cook believes star batter Joe Root has the technique and temperament needed to do well in subcontinent conditions. Root scored 426 runs in four innings in Sri Lanka back in 2021 and also backed it up with a sensational double hundred against India in Chennai.

On this, Cook stated:

"He's scored a lot of runs in the subcontinent in recent years in Sri Lanka and India, and he has done it by being very proactive, but in what seemed to be a very risk-free way."

England had a training camp in Abu Dhabi to prepare for Indian conditions, a move that has garnered mixed reactions from cricket pundits. They will need to start well to avoid a repeat of their 3-1 capitulation in 2021, especially if India unleash rank-turners.