"If England go in 3 days before, they deserve to get beat 5-0" - Steve Harmison issues ominous warning to Ben Stokes and company
Former England pacer Steve Harmison has lambasted England's preparation strategy for the upcoming challenging Test tour of India. The series is scheduled to begin on January 25 in Hyderabad, and England have planned to land in India only three days before, reportedly after finishing their preparation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The challenging spin-friendly conditions arguably come across as the biggest test for Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's aggressive style of play. England have only won one Test across their last two red-ball tours of India, but remain the last side to have won a Test series in the country.
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has already named a spin-heavy side for the tour, with the likes of Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir earning their maiden call-ups.
Steve Harmison, who has toured India in the past to play three Tests, is far from pleased with England's devised plan for the series and believes an impending whitewash will be thoroughly deserved.
"If England go in 3 days before, they deserve to get beat 5-0. They really do. I'm an old man, that is what they are going to say, the times have changed, the game has changed, but I tell you, preparation has not changed. You can't go into India underprepared. In fact, you cannot go India overprepared as well, you can be in India for six weeks before and still not be prepared for that first Test," Steve Harmison said in an interaction with TalkSport.
"I would love to know what Pietersen, Strauss, Cook, in that great side, the only side that has won there in 2012, what they would think when they hear that England will go to India like three days before the series. I think they would laugh at you," Harmison added
Three of Harmison's four Test match appearances against India have come in the subcontinent, claiming six wickets in those outings.
"You would never do that for an Ashes series" - Steve Harmison
Tours of Australia and India come across as the biggest events for England on their international cricketing calendar.
During the side's last Ashes tour, they played a couple of warm-up matches against the England Lions on Australian soil, a couple of weeks before the series was slated to begin.
I love this new approach, I love the Stokes-McCullum approach, Rob Key, and everything that they have done. But, I'm sorry, going in three days before, you would never do that for an Ashes series. You would never go to Australia three days before for The Gabba, so why go three days before for Hyderabad? It is not the new world, it is player power. That's all it is, it is people backing down to players," Harmison concluded
While England have a vacant international window upon the culmination of their Caribbean tour, the majority of the players will be involved in franchise leagues like SA20 and the ILT20 in January.