"There can be no muttering about it being unfair or not good for Test cricket" - Hussain feels England should shed excuse culture to win in India 

Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes that Ben Stokes and company cannot afford to whine about the pitches on offer in the five-match series in India if they wish to succeed.

England remain the last visiting side to notch a red-ball series win in India. The Alastair Cook-led side won a four-match series by a 2-1 margin in 2012. But since then, the team's performances in India have largely been ordinary.

During their previous tour in 2021, England attained a rare series lead after a famous win in Chennai. However, Team India bounced back in triumphant fashion to record three successive wins to wrap up the series.

"It will be very important, too, for England not to have any sort of excuse culture. If it does spin big like it did last time — certainly after England won the first Test — it will be the same for both sides. There can be no muttering about it being unfair or not good for Test cricket," Nasser Hussain wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.

The prospect of England's aggressive approach working on Indian rank turners has been a burning question in the lead-up to the series, and Nasser Hussain feels that a case can certainly be made for it. However, the former player added that players with sound defensive techniques against spin should put a higher value on their wicket and prioritize settling in.

"Stokes and Root, in particular, have a really good defensive technique against spin, so they should not be so keen to attack that they become reckless. Yes, back yourself to put the bowlers under pressure, but make sure you survive that first half an hour," Hussain wrote

England have had a lot of success with their revamped approach, but the conditions in India will be their biggest challenge yet. The team toured Pakistan in late 2022 and thrived on the flat surfaces there, securing a 3-0 whitewash.

"If it does spin big, I’d play Ben Foakes" - Nasser Hussain

The emergence of Harry Brook in red-ball cricket has complicated things for Ben Foakes in the recent past. Despite being revered as the best wicket-keeper in the world by skipper Stokes, the glovesman found himself on the bench for the entire Ashes series in 2023, with England including both Brook and Jonny Bairstow in the playing XI.

Foakes has a much better case when it comes to subcontinental conditions, having kept wickets on rank turners before and also playing some handy knocks down the order. With Harry Brook out of contention as he skips the India tour for personal reasons, there is a good chance that Foakes will return to the playing XI.

"Stokes not being able to bowl makes it hard to balance the side, but if it does spin big, I’d play Ben Foakes, particularly now Brook is missing and England can fit in both Ollie Pope and Jonny Bairstow as specialist batters, because you need your best keeper when the ball is turning sharply," Hussain opined.

The former captain also reflected on the possibility of England capitalising on the opportunity to play an extra bowler and continuing to hand the wicket-keeping responsibilities to Bairstow.

"The pitches are flatter than most are expecting, I would not rule out giving Bairstow the gloves and playing an extra bowler. Most of all, England should not go in with any pre-conceptions," Hussain concluded.

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