India vs England 2019: Graeme Swann Offers A Word Of Advice To Dom Bess

Former England spinner Graeme Swann has offered a word of advice for Dom Bess ahead of the upcoming Test series in India.

Bess, along with Jack Leach, will face the toughest test of their 12-Test career as they will be primed with the task of leading the English attack against some of the best players of spin bowling in their own conditions-India.

Dom Bess claimed as many as 12 wickets in the recent series in England but most of those wickets were a byproduct of some pretty poor batting by the Sri Lankans.

A stern test awaits the Somerset spinner in Indian conditions. Speaking to inews.co.uk, Graeme Swann believes that Bess has got to believe in his ability and not too much about landing the ball in the right place as he did in Sri Lanka.

Swann reckoned that if the right-arm spinner finishes his action and gets the ball to drift, then he will be in business.

“Dom’s got to believe in himself and not worry too much about performance and consistency and landing it in the right place like he did in Sri Lanka,” said Graeme Swann.

“He has to focus on the fact that he took 12 wickets even though he knows he didn’t bowl that well. The ball will turn, and if he finishes his action and gets the ball to drift away, he’ll be in business.” he added.

Graeme Swann opens up on his experience of playing in India

Graeme Swann, who made his debut in India back in 2008, along with his ‘partner-in-crime’ Monty Panesar, was instrumental in scripting one of England cricket’s greatest-ever triumphs- Test series win in India in 2012/13.

The off-spinner claimed as many as 20 wickets across four Tests and consistency outbowled his Indian counterparts.

Usually, visiting spinners coming to India wilt under the pressure of being the leader of the bowling attack. Graeme Swann, however, was an exception to the rule.

The former spinner opened up about his performances in India, adding that he thrived in his role as England’s bowling spearhead while playing in the Indian sub-continent.

“If I was going into the game knowing there was something in the wicket, I always had the feeling that no matter what happens, I was going to get some wickets somehow. It wasn’t going to be a complete washout,” Swann said.

“My stress levels and nerves tended to rise if I was looking at a deck that was absolutely flat as a pancake and obviously wasn’t going to do anything. My fears would then be ‘how am I going to contribute? How am I going to keep my place in the team? How am I going to help the team win the game?’ he added.

“I used to enjoy the fact that we were in India, the wickets will turn and yes the pressure was on you to take wickets but this is your turn. When it’s a green top, the pressure is on Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad to take wickets, but that’s when they get most excited about bowling,” he said.

“I never bought into the idea that the pressure to perform made it harder to do – and I think if you’ve got more than one or two players on your team that think like that, you’re not going to win anything.” Graeme Swann signed off.

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