Saba Karim explains how Joe Root will try to tackle Indian spinners
Former India international Saba Karim talked about how it would be essential for Team India to dismiss Joe Root early.
The former wicketkeeper also explained how Root and co will look to play shots like sweeps and reverse sweeps to tackle the Indian spinners.
In an exclusive chat with Indranil Basu on Sportskeeda Live, Saba Karim said India will need to understand England's gameplan and come up with something to counter it.
"Joe Root is an excellent player of spin bowling. They have a very easy and a common formula to upset the length of the spin bowler, that is to either reverse sweep or to play the paddle sweep, or switch-hit because they believe in rotating the strike each and every over and not to play too many dot delivery," said Saba Karim.
He added further and said:
"Joe Root and to some extent Jos Buttler are master at this kind of technique. So I'm sure the Indian spinners, as well as the bowling coaches, have made their plans- how to ball to Joe Root and Jos Buttler and other England players. What is important is that they need to understand the gameplan of Joe Root and other England batsman."
Joe Root led England to a Test series win against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
The skipper registered scores of 228 and 186 in two Tests, and there is no doubt that the Indian bowlers will have to be at their best to keep the English batsman quiet.
Joe Root's record against India in Tests
Nevertheless, Saba Karim is confident that Indian spinners will find a way through against the English batsman, given that they are playing at home.
"I'm sure things will work out for India because obviously, we are playing at home. Chennai Wicket has that extra bounce, and Ashwin knows how to bowl on those tracks, so the advantage still lies with India. But yes it would be important for India to get rid of Joe Root as soon as possible because he is in such a prolific form," Karim added.
Joe Root has an impressive record against India in Tests.
He averages 56.84 against the Men in Blue and only against Sri Lanka does Root average more in the longest format.
The 30-year-old has four Test hundreds and nine half-centuries against India, including a high-score of 154 not out which came in 2014 in Nottingham.