Joe Root And Ben Stokes Will Have To Emulate Alastair Cook And Kevin Pietersen's 2012/13 Heist If England Has To Pose A Challenge To India: Monty Panesar

Former England spinner Monty Panesar has backed the Virat Kohli-led Team India to win the upcoming four-match Test series against Joe Root’s men.

After having scripted a triumph for the ages in Australia, Team India are back on their home turf where they will be locking horns with the visiting English team in a four-match Test series, starting in Chennai from February 05. England are also coming off a 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka but India will prove to be a completely different challenge for the visitors given the hosts’ recent form and their formidable record at home.

Since losing the 2012/13 Test series to England, India have lost just one Test on their home turf in the last nine years and the last time they locked horns with England in India, they thumped the Alastair Cook-led unit by 4-0 in a five-match rubber.

Speaking to Times of India in an exclusive interview, Monty Panesar said that India will be prime favorites to win the rubber given the visitors’ fragile batting-unit. He, however, feels that there will not be a series-whitewash for Virat Kohli’s men.

”I don’t think there will be a whitewash, but I think India are favorites to win the series because they’re playing in their own home conditions. England have got a strong seam attack. The batting is going to be their weakest point because you look at the openers who keep getting out to spinners. India are going to exploit that. The young English batsmen are not as adaptable as Joe root is. So, I think India are going to be favorites to win the series,” said Monty Panesar.

Joe Root will be the key for England against the Indian attack: Monty Panesar

When asked whether all-rounder Ben Stokes will be the danger man for India, Monty Panesar was quick to point out that it will be England’s skipper Joe Root, who will pose the biggest threat to the Men in Blue.

Joe Root is coming off a brilliant series in Sri Lanka where he spearheaded England’s fragile batting-unit by smashing back-t0-back daddy hundreds. Panesar reckoned that Joe Root will have a similar role much like what Alastair Cook did during the 2012 series, which is to occupy the crease for long periods. He further added that if Root can play that role and with Ben Stokes boasting of the ability to score quickly, much like Kevin Pietersen, then it could prove to be a real nightmare for India.

”Joe Root. Root will be the key wicket India will be aiming for, not Ben Stokes. Stokes can maybe in a session change the game but then he can get out very quickly. Root can combat all day. And it’s about batting all day to set up the total. England needs to bat at least 100 to 120 overs to get themselves in the game,” reckoned Monty Panesar.

”If they get bowled out, let’s say in 60 to 70 overs or even less, that’s game over for England. India will capitalize on that. Who will bat, who is able to bat the longest? When we won in 2012, Alastair Cook was able to bat all day and Pietersen scored very quickly. And that will be the ideal scenario where Ben Stokes could score quickly and Joe Root can bat all day. That will be England’s perfect scenario and India’s nightmare,” he added.

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