IND vs ENG: Fringe venues could provide good crowd support feels Hussain

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain feels that India playing England in venues that would not usually host such a high-profile series could help Test cricket by attracting good crowd support in the India-England series.

Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast, Hussain said that India being able to host the England Tests in previously unheard-of Test venues like Vizag and Dharamsala shows the country’s expanding cricket map, rather than Test cricket being sidelined, as suggested by Michael Atherton, the host of the podcast.

'It’s the growth of Indian cricket. In the old days, it was Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Delhi that got the Tests. But the big venues got the World Cup matches anyway, so hopefully, the crowd will be good at these venues as they would be waiting for a chance to see their superstars,' said Hussain, who captained an England Test side on an India tour in 2001-02.

Ben Duckett, who is part of the England squad on the India tour, said that he has no experience of playing at any of the five venues, but he is particularly fascinated by Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh.

'I am not sure I have been to any of them. But Dharamsala is an incredible ground and I am looking forward to playing there. Any of those are not the same ground used last time,' said Duckett, a guest on the same podcast.

Hyderabad, Vizag, Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamsala are going to host the five Tests respectively on England’s tour of India.

What effect will spin have?

Spin and Bazball are the two key features being discussed the most ahead of the India vs England Test series. Duckett said that he is not going to complain if the pitches turn.

'I am not someone to complain too much. If you are going to India, you kind of know what you are expecting. They are going to know what we will be playing like anyway,' said the wicket-keeper batter, who has played 15 Tests and scored 1,121 runs at an average of 43.11. He is considered one of the better players of spin in the current English squad.

Nasser Hussain’s advice on the kind of wicket India should use

Nasser further advised on what sort of wicket India should prepare to avoid matches finishing in two or three days. 'I think what they should. I mean, if I were in the Indian management, I would ask for good pitches that spin a bit. Because I think it is then that their spinners and batters will remain in the game throughout. If they ask for lottery pitches, then it will bring the English spinners into play as well,' he said.