India is the next test for Bazball and India in India is one of the sternest challenges: Hussain

Former England captain Nasser Hussain is already looking forward to England’s tour to India in January 2024 for a five-match Test series. After making an amazing comeback from 2-0 down to draw the Ashes 2023 2-2, England have shown that their new Bazball style is a potent threat that has opposition teams looking clueless at times. Ben Stoke’s England have defeated New Zealand and Pakistan in the Test series since implementing the Bazball style of cricket and scripted an unbelievable comeback against Australia to draw the Ashes. Hussain said England’s tour to India in 2024 will be a contest between hosts’ spin bowling and visitors’ Bazball style and it should be “fascinating”. “It’s the next test for Bazball. They said Bazball will work against one side, then they moved on to the next side. Then they moved on to New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan. The next challenge is India and everyone knows India in India is one of the sternest challenges in Test match cricket,” Hussain said on The ICC Review. “It’s Bazball against spin. Bazball against Ravi Ashwin, (Ravindra) Jadeja and Axar Patel and that is going to be fascinating.” England were the last team to beat India in India in 2012. This time they will be coming to India without experienced pacer Stuart Broad who retired from cricket at the end of Ashes 2023. Hussain feels that 41-year-old James Anderson’s experience has become even more valuable for the tour of India. “I think especially with Broad going, I would like that experience (in India),” Hussain said. “Chris Woakes has stated that he’s not that keen anymore of playing away from home and his record’s not great away from home. “We’ll see, he (Woakes) might change his mind. There’s been a lot of mind changes recently. But if you don’t have Woakes and you don’t have Broad, you will need that experience of someone like Jimmy Anderson.” 34 of Anderson’s 690 wickets have come in India at an average of 29.32 in 13 matches “Jimmy’s got a very good record against India…and you need a balanced attack. You need that experience for younger players to come in,” Hussain added. “Listen, Jimmy’s had a bad or an average couple of months, but you are a fool if you’re writing off Jimmy Anderson. “I spoke to him in an interview yesterday and he was like, the hunger is still there. He’s already thinking about how to get back to his best. “He’s already thinking about going back in the nets and working hard at his game and that’s a good sign for me that he’s still got that hunger. He’s, what, 10 wickets away from 700, and that will keep him going for a while yet.”