Owais Shah Makes Prediction For The India-England Series

Former England batsman, Owais Shah backs the hosts to win the forthcoming Test series in India against Joe Root’s England. Shah predicts that Virat Kohli’s team will win the series with a 2-1 scoreline.

The England players have landed in Chennai from the Sri Lanka tour and all the players are currently under a 6-day mandatory quarantine period. The 4-Test series commences on 5th February – the first two Tests will be played in Chennai and the renovated Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad will host the last couple of Test as well as the 5-match T20I series.

Owais Shah opines England doesn’t have the bowling attack to push India the Indian batters on the backfoot in their home conditions. While England is also coming off a clean sweep over Sri Lanka, Shah reckons that it was more because of poor batting from the Sri Lankans.

“I don’t think we have the bowlers to do the business in India, unfortunately, this time. I think it might be 2-1 to India,” Owais Shah told Sports Today.

England will get a lot of confidence from what they did in Sri Lanka: Owais Shah

Owais Shah, who played 94 international matches for England, lauds the efforts of the Chris Silverwood-coached side in Sri Lanka as the visitors won 2-0 and Joe Root put on an exhibition of spin batting by notching two tons in the series.

“England will get a lot of confidence from what they did in Sri Lanka. 2-0 is a really good achievement. Also, the conditions they were given, the ball was turning from Day 1 of the first Test which is unlike a Test wicket. It was challenging conditions and the way England came out on top was pretty impressive,” he said.

However, the 42-year-old asserts that the English spinners Dom Bess and Jack Leach, who both got fifers against the Islanders, will be tested in India by a strong batting line-up bolstered by the return of Virat Kohli, who missed the last three Tests against Australia. England are also strengthened by the return of Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes, both the stalwarts were rested for the tour to Sri Lanka.

“I don’t think the bowlers, the two spinners Dom Bess and Jack Leach, probably didn’t bowl their best but they still managed to win the Tests. They did really well on tracks that were turning, how the batsmen played on it and applied themselves. But I think the spin bowling department will really be tested against the strong batting lineup of India,” Owais Shah further added.

Also Read: If Given A Choice I Will Prefer To Play With The Red Ball Over Pink Ball – Cheteshwar Pujara