IND vs ENG 2021: "I think India will be favorites moving forward in the Test series" - Inzamam-ul-Haq
Former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq believes India are the favorites to win the Test series against England after the first match ended in a draw. India were set a target of 209 in the 4th innings to win the first Test.
The visitors needed 157 runs on the final day with nine wickets in hand. Things looked to be going well for Team India, but rain washed out Day 5 and spoiled Virat Kohli and Co.'s hopes of securing a rare Test win on English soil.
Speaking on his official YouTube channel, Inzamam discussed the positive takeaways of India from this match and gave his prediction for the upcoming games. He said:
"I think India will be favorites moving forward in this Test series. I am not saying this because of their performance in the first Test. I feel that way because of the youngsters, who have come in recently in the last two years. The best trait in most of these young players is that they are performing well in all conditions. There used to be a time in the past when Indians used to play well at their home but not that well in foreign tours. But after these youngsters came in, India has been doing well while touring abroad."
I hope we see the same level of exciting cricket for the rest of the series: Inzamam-ul-Haq on India-England battle
Inzamam hoped that fans would witness the same kind of exciting contests between bat and ball in the rest of the games of the series. The iconic Pakistani player also spoke about the impact made by youngsters on the Indian team over the last few years.
He heaped praise on Indian players for stepping up and performing exceptionally to assist their team's cause even when the big names failed. The Pakistan legend also had special praise for Rishabh Pant. Inzamam said:
"I have said the same after the end of the Australia series. Since that series, the mindset of the players has changed drastically. Now, if the big players don't score runs, it does not have a significant impact on the end result, as the youngsters are stepping up and playing wonderful knocks to help the team. I personally want to see Rishabh Pant's batting in the series. The way he plays the game, he unfortunately got out quickly in the first innings, but he was trying to play his natural game even in the tough conditions."
"It is going to be a wonderful series. Watching such exciting youngsters performing well in English conditions will give joy to cricket lovers. Team India had a golden opportunity to win the first Test and take the lead in the series, but anyways I hope we will see the same level of exciting cricket for the rest of the series," concluded Inzamam.