IND vs ENG: “For India, Jasprit Bumrah And Virat Kohli Will Be The Key Players”- Graeme Swann Still Backs England To Win The Fifth Test

Former England spinner Graeme Swann has backed England to win the upcoming fifth Test against India which was rescheduled for July 1 from the 2021 series. The match will be played in Edgbaston and Swann picked Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah as key players for the visiting team.

India leads the series 2-1 with wins in Lord’s and Oval and only need to draw or win this Test match to earn their fourth Test series win in England. On the other hand, England is a transformed unit under the leadership of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum as they crushed New Zealand 3-0 recently.

Last year, India kicked off the series with a draw at Trent Bridge and then registered a 151-run win in the second Test at the Lord’s. England bounced back from that defeat and went on to win the third Test at Headingley, thrashing India by an innings and 76 runs. But India then took a 2-1 lead by pummeling the hosts by 157 runs in the fourth Test at the Kennington Oval.

If Kohli Plays With The Same Freedom That Joe Root Is Playing, We’re In For A Treat: Graeme Swann

Swann, who played 60 Tests, 79 ODIs, and 39 T20Is for England, taking over 400 international wickets across formats, feels Virat Kohli will be one of the key players for the touring Indian team this time.

“For India, Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli will be the key players. They are the big names and it is never easy to play against them. If Kohli plays with the same freedom that Joe Root is playing with right now, we all are in for a treat. Virat is a wonderful player. If Bumrah gets his line and length right with the Dukes ball, he is unplayable,” Swann told Times of India.

Swann also talked about backing England to win the match and level the series 2-2.

“I am backing England. England are in a very good position and I would say they are slight favourites,” the 43-year-old Swann added.

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