The emergence of Haseeb Hameed has helped ensure that it is the hosts with all of the problems heading to Vizag...
It is amazing how a week in sport changes everything.
Seven days ago it was England who had all of the uncertainty over batting line-ups and bowling choices, and were regarded as overwhelming underdogs for the first Test.
Now it is India who, having fought off possible defeat, are uncertain of their best eleven. They will now realise that England are going to be tough to beat.
The tourists have gone from frailty to solidity in a few days.
That is the effect one new batsman has had on England.
The stunning emergence of Haseeb Hameed has given England’s top order real backbone and alleviated the pressure on Alastair Cook to be England’s fail-safe.
Hameed looked instantly at ease in the first Test, handling everything with great aplomb.
His method, his positioning, his shot selection and his poise reminded me of a young Michael Atherton who, when just a few months older than Hameed is now, took 151 not out off a good Middlesex attack I was part of.
Hameed looks the part, as Atherton did then. He has none of the technical issues that most of Cook’s previous opening partners have had.
With the irrepressible Joe Root at No.3, the burgeoning Moeen Ali at No.5, and Ben Stokes developing into a commanding No.6, only Ben Duckett lacks experience in batting long in these conditions.
Such is Duckett’s talent, that he may well acquire said know-how on this trip. It might be worth moving him down one place – and Moeen up – to give him a little more leeway.
That, and whether to play James Anderson at Vishakaptnam on Thursday, are the only issues England have to consider.
It might be worth waiting until the third Test in Mohali to reintroduce Anderson, as he will get more bounce and carry there.
The pitch at Vizag – another new Test venue – is likely to be fairly dead. Scoring rates there in some recent first-class matches have been barely above two runs an over.
India are likely to recall opener Lokesh Rahul – with a Test average of 37.46 – for Gautam Gambhir. The difference is negligible.
What they will be more concerned about is the lack of threat posed by their spinners at Rajkot.
England’s method – playing Ravi Jadeja largely off the back foot and getting outside the line to Ravi Ashwin, who failed to turn the ball much on that surface – was very effective.
Ashwin finished with 3-250 in the match and managed only three maidens in 46 overs in England’s first innings. The soreness of his spinning finger won’t have eased.
England’s spinners, by contrast, induced serious concern among India’s batsmen on the final day.
The key – as it invariably is with spinners – was runs on the board.
Because of England’s weighty first innings, and positive second, they could bowl without worrying about occasional full tosses or long hops, and performed with more confidence and threat as a result.
Adil Rashid especially.
The route to potential dominance in Vizag is identical. Get big runs and then play the waiting game.
And if you wait long enough in India, rewards will come.
