India start as clear favourites against England: VVS Laxman | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The much-anticipated Test series between hosts England and India begins at Nottingham on Wednesday, and though there have been talks about an even contest, former India cricketer VVS Laxman believes the visitors start as clear favourites.
“Given the make-up of the two sides, India start as clear favorites, but for them to justify that tag, they must bat to their potential,” VVS Laxman wrote in his column for The Times of India. “Despite the absence of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Chris Woakes, the hosts have a formidable pace attack.”
All-rounder Stokes had withdraw from the England squad on mental health grounds.
Laxman also said that Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara will need to put behind their average show on past England tours and contribute consistently.
“Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have been on multiple trips to England, but the last two, in particular, haven’t enjoyed a great deal of success and average less than 30,” he said.
“However, India has greater depth, class and experience in their batting group than England, which will be heavily dependent on Joe Root.”

New Zealand, who beat India to win the World Test Championship in Southampton earlier during India’s tour of UK, had beaten England ahead of the WTC final. Laxman felt Indian bowlers will do well to “emulate” that.
“New Zealand exposed the vulnerability of the English batting earlier this summer, and if India’s versatile bowling group can emulate them, there is no reason why the visitors can’t secure their first series win there since 2007,” Laxman added.
Mayank Agarwal has been ruled out due to concussion, but Laxman said he would have anyway picked KL Rahul to partner Rohit Sharma at the top.
“Even before the unfortunate injury to Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul was my automatic choice to open the batting with Rohit Sharma. Rahul is a pedigreed Test opener with centuries in Australia, England and the West Indies; and I have been baffled by reports that the think-tank has been averse to considering him for that role,” said the former Test specialist.

“There has been no official word on why that’s the case. I only hope there has been communication between the team management and Rahul because it is important for players to know their roles, to know what is expected of them.”
Laxman advised India to go in with three pacers and two spinners as the formation of its bowling attack, especially since Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are adept at batting as well.
“India will think long and hard about what their bowling attack should look like. My vote would be for a three-pronged pace attack manned by Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, with Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin discharging spin duties,” he reckoned.
“Ashwin has five Test hundreds and will bolster the batting at No. 8. He has also been bowling superbly and will be extremely unlucky to miss out if India either opts to bring in Mohammed Siraj or bolster their batting by including Hanuma Vihari.
“There is a touch of fragility to the England top order, further weakened by Stokes’s withdrawal. (Joe) Root is a wonderful player, but he can’t do it all on his own.”