5 Reasons why this is the best chance for India to win a Test series in England

England has always been one of the toughest places to tour for the Indian cricket team. The lateral movement of the ball in the air and off the pitch is something that even the best in the business found tough to decipher. This aspect of the game has seen the team bag some embarrassing defeats in the country. Also, the Indian team lost the Test series in both their previous two tours in the UK.

However, the case is slightly different this time around. A young bunch of people, technically sound, mentally aggressive yet calm and oozing with confidence is on a Bon voyage to the UK with a mission on hand. After having fared decently well in the limited-overs leg of the tour, the focus now shifts to the longest format of the game. The Indian team will play England in a 5-match Test series, which will, of course, be a tough and a grueling one.

But, at the same time, this is also India’s best chance to win a Test series in England. We have been hearing for quite some time that this is the most-balanced Indian team we’ve ever seen. Although this team didn’t live up to the expectation in South Africa, there is a good chance that they won’t repeat the mistakes this time around. Here are the reasons why:

1. Genuine fast-bowling all-rounder

We’ve been talking about the great balance this side possesses for some time now. This is primarily because of the reason that there is a genuine fast-bowling all-rounder in the side. Ever since the retirement of Kapil Dev, the Indian team has never been able to find a trustworthy all-rounder. But, Hardik Pandya somewhat ended this long hunt. Pandya has been very promising and gives flexibility to the management to play an extra batsman which was a huge matter of concern in the previous two tours. If the requirement is, they can also play an extra bowler.

Hardik has scored 368 runs in 7 Tests at an average of about 37. What is more staggering is his strike rate of 85 with the bat. With the ball, he has picked 7 wickets and should enjoy the swinging conditions in England. This series will also be a real test of his temperament and will prove how important an asset Pandya is. This was one of the biggest loopholes in the previous tours and it is sorted this time around.