Former captain Nasser Hussain has warned the England cricket team against complacency ahead of the fourth Test of the series against India which will be played at The Oval on Thursday.
England bounced back from the Lord’s defeat to register an emphatic win by an innings and 76 runs at Headingley and level the 5-match series 1-1.
But Hussain is well-aware of the Indian team’s ability to fight back when the chips are down after the team’s famous triumph in Australia earlier this year and therefore, urged England not to take their foot off the pedal at any cost in the remaining two Tests.
“At Headingley, England swung the ball round corners. Skilful as India’s seam bowlers are they did not swing the ball at all.
“But the last thing England must do now is think they have done the hard work and write India off ahead of Thursday’s fourth Test in south London and the final match at Old Trafford — grounds which should suit their attack better.
“Remember, they were bowled out for 36 by Australia in Adelaide late last year but came back to pull off a famous series win. And after Kohli had gone home, too,” Hussain wrote in his latest column for The Telegraph.
Hussain said Virat Kohli’s never-say-die attitude rubs on to his teammates which is what makes India so dangerous in a situation like this when they are itching to make a strong comeback.
“India do have a lot of strength of character and fight, and central to that is their captain, even though Kohli has looked more like the 2014 version rather than the one who conquered English conditions and England’s attack in 2018,” Hussain wrote further.
The fourth Test between England and India will be played at The Oval in London from September 2.
