‘We won’t be afraid to play’ – Brendon McCullum shares England’s strategy ahead of 2nd Test against India
England led by Ben Stokes got a good start in the five-match Test series against India. In Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium England won the first Test match by 28 runs against India. In the second innings, Ollie Pope smashed 196 runs and helped England to take the lead of 231 runs. England has taken a 1-0 lead. In the first Test match as the pitch had turned England went on to play with one fast bowler and three spinners.
England head coach Brendon McCullum has stated that in the 2nd Test match against India, the team will not be afraid of playing with all spinners in the line-up. As the 2nd Test match against India will be held in Vizag McCullum has expressed his thoughts on having Shoaib Bashir as a fourth spinner. Shoaib Bashir was picked for a five-match Test series against India but had to return home from Abu Dabhi training camp due to visa problems. After clearing the problem, he is set to join the England camp.
“He (Bashir) was obviously with us in the camp in Abu Dhabi and he really impressed with his skill sets. He fits in the group. He, again, like Tom Hartley, has little first-class experience, but we thought his skill could help us in here,” McCullum told SENZ Radio.
Brendon McCullum praises Ben Stokes’s leadership skills
“If the wickets continue to spin as much as what we saw in the first Test as the series goes on, we won’t be afraid to play all spinners or a balance of what we’ve got,” he added further.
Brendon McCullum has also praised Ben Stokes’s leadership skills as Tom Hartley who made his Test debut in the first Test match played an important role in winning the match.
“I thought the way Ben Stokes handled Tom Hartley in the first innings when he bowled him an extended spell regardless of the fact that he was getting put under pressure by the Indian batters, I thought that was a real sign of leadership,” McCullum concluded.
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