India are seeking their first Test series win in England after 14 years and under Virat Kohli, have managed to draw first blood with a comprehensive win in the second match of the series at Lord’s. That England are without some of its key players promises to hurt their chances of staging a comeback in the series.
Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes could not be part of the Test squad due to injuries, while Ben Stokes took an indefinite break due to mental health days before the start of the series. To make matters worse, Stuart Broad sustained a calf injury and was ruled out. With multiple injury concerns and a fragile batting line-up, England appear cornered and former captain Nasser Hussain reckons it will be tough for the home team to bounce back, but not impossible.
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"It will be difficult with so many bowlers out injured, and the way England are batting. But, I repeat, they were in a position to win the second Test on the final morning so that game wasn't all bad," Hussain told the Daily Mail upon being asked if England can hit back at India.
"They had a mad hour but that's the brilliance of Test cricket. The game can change so often throughout five days. It could be different at Headingley. It has looked very flat this year. But these are two vulnerable batting line-ups."
{{/usCountry}}"They had a mad hour but that's the brilliance of Test cricket. The game can change so often throughout five days. It could be different at Headingley. It has looked very flat this year. But these are two vulnerable batting line-ups."
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Hussain reflected on England’s batting, saying the downward slide the team is currently undergoing was on the cards. In fact, the former England captain feels batting is a concern among most Test-playing nations barring two.
"This batting demise has been a long time coming. It's not just England by the way. It's red-ball batters around the world. It only seems to be the two World Test Championship finalists in New Zealand and India who are producing high-quality red-ball batsmen," Hussain added.