Albeit young and raw, our spinners have shown they've got what it takes: Brendon McCullum

England head coach Brendon McCullum was very impressed with the performance of the spinners in the second Test against India in Visakhapatnam. Making his debut in international cricket, Shoaib Bashir picked up four wickets, Tom Hartley picked up five in his second Test and Rehan Ahmed bagged six in his third. Despite being young and raw, the spinners have lived up to their potential, claiming 15 wickets in the match.

Speaking about their progress, McCullum lauded skipper Ben Stokes for backing them and using them well in the match. He added that the all-rounder spends a lot of time with the spinners, which has helped them grow in international cricket. The 42-year-old also noted that the spinners showed a lot of character and he is happy with their development.

“There are heaps of positives. Our spin bowling unit, albeit young and raw, have shown they've got what it takes. The one thing I guess you don't know about in the heat of battle is the character the guys possess. The development of the young spinners has been fantastic. Not just their skillset but their passion to want the big moments. I am absolutely delighted in how they have performed with very little experience under their belt,” Stokes was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

“I put it down to the skipper. He has total conviction in his methods and is incredibly empathetic towards people. He spends time with them to ensure his messaging is really consistent, in his body language and behaviours. He backs up what he says to them off the field with opportunities on the field. He is desperate to lead this team and he wants to take this team to whatever level he can take it,” the 32-year-old added.

Meanwhile, England suffered a 106-run defeat in the second Test as the series is currently poised 1-1. After the conclusion of the match, the visitors left India for Abu Dhabi, where they will resume their preparations and come back a couple of days ahead of the third Test in Rajkot.