England vs India: Mohinder Amarnath feels the visitors are going into the Test series with lack of preparation
He was also critical of the trimmed warm-up game against Essex.
The much-awaited Test series between India and England has finally begun as the hosts have won the toss and opted to bat first. There was a break of exactly 14 days for both the teams after the ODI series ended which must have helped the visitors to get used to the conditions. However, the former Indian cricketer Mohinder Amarnath feels that Team India has gone into the five-match tussle with not much preparation.
They have been in the United Kingdom since June now as they faced Ireland in a couple of T20 Internationals and then went on to play 6 limited-overs matches against England. But Amarnath reckons that playing the white ball cricket is not an ideal preparation before a five-Test series.
“My main concern is the preparation of Indians. I am not convinced that limited overs, white-ball cricket offers ideal preparation for Tests,” he wrote in his column for the Times of India.
Not pleased with the trimmed warm-up game
Team India forced the four-day warm-up game against Essex to be trimmed to three days which didn’t impress the hosts. Mohinder Amarnath was also critical of the decision of the visitors. “The one four-day game was also reduced to three days, rather ironically, because of heat! These are players who play in 40-plus degree Celsius during the IPL, so I think they can cope with the English sun,” he further added.
Amarnath also loved the fact that the Indian team was playing five Tests in England. He believed that it will test the temperament of the young Test side and help them in becoming better players going forward.
“The best possible feeling for a true cricket lover is the anticipation of a five-Test series. It’s wonderful that India are playing a full-fledged series in England as it will really be a test of their temperament and technique. Playing the red ball in English conditions is one of cricket’s greatest challenges from a batting point of view, so an absorbing period of two months lies ahead,” Amarnath reckoned.
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