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‘English squad has amazing players’: Andy Flower backs England’s ‘formidable combination of players’ for India Tests

Flower denied to pick a favourite for the upcoming Test series but mentioned that the England side has a ‘formidable combination’ of players who are capable of putting themselves in 'winning situations'.

Published on: Jan 28, 2021 5:44 PM IST
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Under the leadership of Joe Root, England have arrived in India to play a 4-match Test series, beginning from February 5 in Chennai. They would be coming into the series after beating Sri Lanka in their own backyard and former coach Andy Flower believes the visitors have enough firepower to challenge the hosts.

Photo of former England coach Andy Flower (Twitter)
Photo of former England coach Andy Flower (Twitter)

Flower cited India's remarkable Test triumph Down Under, but at the same time, he asserted that the Englishmen are no longer underdogs in Test cricket.

In a conversation with new agency PTI, the former coach said, “India won a T20 series, the Melbourne and Brisbane Tests this year and a Test series a couple of years ago in Australia, which goes to show that there are ample opportunities for visiting squads to make a mark.”

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“The nature of cricket has changed, as both batsmen and bowlers have become more athletic, backed by an aggressive outlook. It must be viewed through the lens of changes taking place around us, and it will not be so monotonous anymore as we shall begin to see patterns,” he added.

Flower denied to pick a favourite for the upcoming Test series but mentioned that the England side has a ‘formidable combination’ of players who are capable of putting themselves in 'winning situations'.

“It would be premature to declare the direction in which the fortunes of any team would swing. However, the English side has a formidable combination of players who can set themselves into comfortable or winning situations,” Flower said.

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“A lot will depend on the game day, and the star performers' ability to convert critical opportunities. The English squad has some amazing players who have excelled in all formats of the game,” he added.

(With PTI Inputs)

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