Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket Players
'I just can't see how they can compete': Michael Vaughan says it will be 'tough for England to beat India'
Michael Vaughan is apprehensive about England's chances of beating India in the five-Test series as he underlined what he feels are some glaring issues the home team needs to address.
Former captain Michael Vaughan is apprehensive about England's chances of beating India in the five-Test series as he underlined what he feels are some glaring issues the home team needs to address.
India lost the World Test Championship final to New Zealand but England themselves will head into the series on the back of a series loss to the BlackCaps not too long ago. Vaughan feels England's fragile batting line-up, along with a couple more issues will make it tough for them to compete with the WTC runner-up.
"You, know this series against New Zealand, it's been dry for the week leading into that first Test at Lords, played no spinner, exactly the same at Edgbaston, didn't play a spinner, and the batting line-up is fragile, it's simple as that," Vaughan said on the 'Road to the Ashes' podcast.
Former India captain Rahul Dravid, under whom India last won a Test series in England back in 2007 is confident that this is the team’s best chance to win a series in England, having lost the 2011, 2014 and 2018 series comprehensively. Besides, former spinner Monty Panesar has backed India to inflict a 5-0 whitewash over England, believing there batting is not as strong as it used to be.
Also Read | Sachin Tendulkar names player who is going to 'become one of the leading all-rounders in world cricket'
Vaughan touched upon the same, explaining that even though the likes of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler may return, the batting department may still lack depth against a bowling unit of India's calibre. England are also likely to be without Jofra Archer as the fast bowler is expected to continue his road to recovery following an elbow surgery.
"Buttler, Stokes and Woakes have come back, yes, they'll improve the team but unless that batting line-up changes and can learn and understand how to get big scores against good bowling, and not against second-string Test match standard bowling, I just can't see how they can compete. It's going to be tough for England to beat India on these shores. But then to go to Australia if they won't get 450-500, I just can't see [them being competitive]," Vaughan added.
