"We know how polarising the Indian cricket team can be to their public" - Steven Finn's advice to England ahead of Test series
Former England seamer Steven Finn believes the Englishmen must win over the Indian fans to emerge victorious in the upcoming Test series. The retired cricketer reckons the Indian public's behaviour will fluctuate depending upon the home side's performance.
The five-Test series in India, beginning on January 25th, will be a litmus test for Ben Stokes' men. With England batters struggling against spin during their last two visits, not many believe they will emerge victorious in India.
Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Finn said:
"If they play well and give a good account of themselves, as the series goes on that tide can turn, because we know how polarising the Indian cricket team can be to their public depending on how they are playing."
The 34-year-old recalled how England tried to win over the crowd during their visits to India, Australia, and South Africa during his playing days.
"The three most memorable tours I went on, India 2012, Australia 2010-11 and South Africa 2016, all three of them, one of the motivations for us was to try and get the opposition public on side and turn them against their own team," he said. "That's a huge benefit to you, and having Stokes and McCullum at the helm gives England an opportunity to do that."
Finn was part of England's squad when they registered a stunning series win over India in 2012. Despite losing the first Test by nine wickets, the tourists bounced back exceptionally well to emerge triumphant.
"IPL superstardom of some of the players will count to England's benefit" - Steven Finn
The former Middlesex seamer added that there is a chance the Indian crowd might side with a few Englishmen due to their presence in the IPL.
"I think the IPL superstardom of some of the players will count to England's benefit," he said. "Kevin Pietersen aside, that 2012 team, people weren't really superstars in India, whereas you have quite a few guys this time going over who have played in the IPL and are superstars in that. I think that will count."
Finn announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on August 14th, 2023. He played 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 21 T20Is.