JOIN USEngland’s lead spinner Graeme Swann feels that Indian tweakers will not be a threat to English batsmen on the turning tracks of the sub-continent.
England have managed to win just two of the 22 Test matches — excluding matches against Bangladesh — in the sub-continent struggling against the spinners but this time Swann feels that the batsmen would do well on the “traditional pitches” of India.
England were whitewashed 3-0 by Pakistan in the Test series hosted by the UAE earlier this year and drew a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in April.
During three Tests against Pakistan, England struggled against unorthodox spinner Saeed Ajmal, who claimed 24 wickets in three Tests.
“I think last winter was a bit different,” Swann was quoted as saying by cric-info.com.
“First of all, when we played in Dubai that was not really the sub-continent, that wicket was very unique in the sense that it was very skiddy and span as well. India’s wickets are more traditional, more what people are used to, so I would be very surprised if that happened again,” said Swann.
He rated Ajmal as a top mystery spinner and said India lacks a bowler like the Pakistani.
“Secondly, we were bowled out by a mystery spinner (Ajmal) that batsmen could not pick. India are not really blessed with a mystery spinner like that.”
Swann flies back to England
Off-spinner Graeme Swann is returning home from India to spend time with his sick daughter, the (ECB) said on Wednesday.
Swann will travel back to India in time for first Test in Ahmedabad starting on November 15. His absence from the final warm-up match is a blow to the tourists who already have fitness concerns about Steven Finn and Stuart Broad.