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‘I would say it's a concern': Nasser Hussain not happy with England’s selection for first two Tests against India
England have announced the squad for the first two Tests against India and there has been some controversy due to the absence of one batsman.
England are headed to India for a full-fledged tour that includes four Tests, 3 ODIs and 5 T20 internationals. Both England and India are one of the world’s best teams in the world and it is expected to be a hard-fought series. India start as favourites due to their impeccable record at home and their recent heroics in Australia.
England have announced the squad for the first two Tests against India and there has been some controversy due to the absence of one batsman. Jonny Bairstow has been rested by England for the first two Tests and some former players are not happy with it.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan criticised the selection. And now Nasser Hussain has also commented on Bairstow’s absence, saying that one of the best players of spin is not going to India and England could bear the repercussions of it.
"I would say it's a concern that one of England's best three players of spin - I would say Bairstow is alongside Joe Root and Ben Stokes in that - has been given a boarding pass home and the others are going to Chennai. I'd have to rethink," Nasser Hussain wrote in his column for Sky Sports.
"England fans switching on when it is turning and England are 20-2 may well have the argument, 'I want to see our best batsman against spin, or one of them, in Bairstow."
"If the next Test after this series was Brisbane in the Ashes, would we send our best side? So why when it's the first Test against India, one of the great sides, aren't we sending our best team? It is that balancing act of being fair to the public and winning what's in front of you and long-term planning all year," Hussain added.
"It must be an absolute nightmare what the players have been through [during these Covid times] - they had the whole of last summer and then had the IPL. Then it was South Africa, now Sri Lanka, then India and then IPL again. I get that and I am not downplaying it at all - it must be a nightmare for the selectors - but should you have your best side for that first India Test?"
England squad (for the first 2Tests): Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes (vice-captain), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, , Olly Stone, Chris Woakes
