Bad time to face England: Graeme Swann picks Ben Stokes’s males as favourites in opposition to India for fifth Test

Former spinner Graeme Swann mentioned England are enjoying ultra-positive cricket and that they may head into the rescheduled fifth Test in opposition to India as slight favourites. India and England will meet in Birmingham from July 1.

England will tackle India in a rescheduled Test from July 1 in Birmingham (AP Photo)

HIGHLIGHTSEngland will tackle India within the rescheduled Test from July 1Ben Stokes’s males hammered world champions New Zealand 3-0India performed a 4-day follow match in opposition to Leicestershire earlier this month

Former England spinner Graeme Swann mentioned England will start a slight favourties after they tackle Indai within the rescheduled fifth Test, beginning July 1 in Birmingham, including that it is a unhealthy time to face Ben Stokes’s males, contemplating their resurgence within the longest format of the sport.

England will head into the rescheduled Test, which is a spillover from final 12 months’s sequence, after having hammered world Test champions New Zealand 3-0 in an emphatic method, marking a superb begin to a brand new period of their Test workforce underneath Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.

On the opposite hand, India have considerations to handle as they equipped for the one-off Test after having performed solely a 4-day follow match in opposition to Leicestershire from June 23 to 27. Doubts over captain Rohit Sharma’s availability prevails because the star batter examined constructive for Covid-19 final Saturday and is racing in opposition to time to be in rivalry. India additionally will miss star opener KL Rahul, who has been dominated out attributable to an harm.

“England are in a very good position and I would say they are slight favourites because of that series (against New Zealand),” Swann mentioned in.a digital interplay for Sony Sports.

“And the fact that India just had one (warm-up) game in England, so they are coming in cold (for) the Test match, which is a bit of disadvantage. They (England) have got the three Test matches under their belt, so that makes them pre-game favourites.”

‘ENGLAND PLAYING ULTRA-POSITIVE CRICKET’Swann mentioned England are trying highly effective in Test cricket as soon as once more with Joe Root in fhe type of his life and Ben Stokes galvanising a workforce that was in tatters, having received solely 2 of their final 17 matches earlier than they confronted New Zealand at dwelling.

Jonny Bairstow has additionally hit peak kind, smashing quickfire tons of in gorgeous chases in opposition to New Zealand.

“You are going to face an England team where Joe Root is back to his absolute best, where Olive Pope is playing his best-ever for England. Ben Stokes has amalgamated the team and got playing in an ultra-positive and rock and roll fashion.

“There are chinks within the armour – the opening batting slot remains to be very weak. But practically all the opposite spots had wonderful (returns). Even the spinner Jack Leach, who’s underneath numerous strain, has obtained 10 wickets in a match,” Swann added.