Plain Speaking England’s biggest challenge is focus

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After a long time it seems that everyone in India is waiting for the series against England to start.

After the away-tour of Australia there hasn’t been any quality test cricket for India and the eight tests to follow between India-England-Australia will provide terrific four months of test cricket for India but at the same time they should be happy and relieved that they are playing at home where India will always be tough to beat. The strongest test team, in terms of competition, to arrive on Indian soil were the Aussies in 2001.

The South Africans in the later part of 2007, 2008, 2009 were a strong unit but they didn’t have the flair and spark which the team under Steve Waugh had.

If we sit and analyse the English and Aussie side for the next eight test matches, I will have no hesitation in saying that the England side looks stronger than the Australian side due to visit in February.

They are under a new captain in Alistair Cook and looks to me from outside that he wants to make a change in England’s performance in sub-continent. It’s his first test series as captain and his excitement is understandable. He knows he will be tested and tested strongly by this Indian side and it’s not bad for a young captain to start a career of captaincy against a strong opposition. The biggest challenge for England on this tour will be their focus and mental commitment for the series.

It's a very long tour considering the fact that England have come here much before time for three warm-up games. So the question that needs to be answered is w h e t h e r England can survive four tests mentally.