Dilip Doshi opines on if India vs England series is at the same level as The Ashes
According to former Indian cricketer Dilip Doshi, India vs England is amongst the top cricket rivalries. However, he feels The Ashes' history makes it a different series for every cricket fan. When asked if India vs England series is on the same level as The Ashes or India vs Australia, Doshi stated it depended on one's perception.
Team India and England are among the top cricketing nations of the world. Both teams have won Cricket World Cups on their home soil. Besides, the India vs England Test matches have also entertained the cricket universe a lot.
The Ashes is the oldest rivalry in cricket history, while the India vs Australia rivalry has gained an enormous fan-following in the last few decades. Giving his view on if India vs England was on the same level, in a conversation with Ray Media, Dilip Doshi said:
"It’s a perception. I believe England-Australia Ashes has been there for more than a 100 years. So any cricket-lover, who grew up in India or wherever, like we did, looked forward to hearing the commentary then. And I still follow Ashes as closely as I would do anything else. So it’s a question of perception. Since India have come of age in cricket, in the last 30-40 years, India-Australia series also have been very enchanting. And it depends on the two given sides at that moment. And I think India vs England is as good a series as any you can get in any time of history."
The fans will get to witness nine India vs England Test matches in 2021. Four matches will happen in India, while the United Kingdom will play host to a 5-match series later this year. The tickets for the Kia Oval Test between Team India and England have already been sold out, which shows the popularity of this rivalry.
David Gower explains how India vs England rivalry has evolved
Answering the same question, former England captain David Gower highlighted the India vs England rivalry's evolution. He clarified The Ashes was at a different level because of the history and the enmity factors. However, Gower felt the recent Tests between Team India and England have been quite competitive.
"Something like the Ashes, always has that one thing going for it which is a long, long history. And there’s a sort of national enmity which feels it. If India came to England, it was likely to be one result. If England went to India, it went the other way. You would almost predict straightaway what the result of those series would be. Nowadays, you have India coming to England and being very competitive. You have England thinking they’re competitive in India, but of course over the next four days we’ll find out how competitive they are," said David Gower.