"We’re going to play on some absolute square turners" - Graeme Swann ahead of England's Test tour of India
Former England spinner Graeme Swann expects raging turners during the side's upcoming five-match Test tour of India, beginning on January 25 in Hyderabad.
England struggled against Indian spinners on the last two tours, losing by wide margins. However, they remain the last team to defeat India in a Test series in India in 2012.
Speaking to The Daily Mail, Swann, who is working with England spinners, suggested that the uncapped Tom Hartley is similar to Axar Patel and feels the young Englishman can be the difference in the upcoming Test series.
"When I saw Tom in Sri Lanka last winter, he’d barely played any red-ball cricket, but he’s got control and sometimes in India you don’t have to be the biggest turner of the ball. You have to be an Axar Patel-type bowler, able to run up, be metronomic, put it on the spot, get a little bit of rotation on the ball, and let the pitch do the work. Let’s not beat about the bush, we’re going to play on some absolute square turners out there after what happened last time," Swann said.
Speaking of wrist-spinner Rehan Ahmed, the 44-year-old observed that he keeps threatening to get batters out despite not being at his best, but wants Ahmed to be more confident.
"He’s a young leggie and on his day he will get you five wickets. We have seen how good he can be already. There will be days when it might not come out quite right and he’ll be expensive, but he will always come out smelling of roses because he’s a brilliant character. He’s got a bit of swagger about him and I love that. I want him to start believing in himself more as a bowler. He believes in himself as a batsman but not as much yet as he should do with the ball," Swann added.
Left-arm spinner Jack Leach remains the most experienced spinner in the England squad announced for the marquee series. Leach toured India in the 2021 leg and claimed 18 wickets in four Tests at an average of 28.72.
"Can’t wait to see him back" - Graeme Swann on Jack Leach
Swann further stated that Leach's belief in being a world-class performer gives him a big edge and that England were unfortunate not to have him in the Ashes last year.
"Jack is starting to believe now that he’s a world-class Test bowler and that’s what he needed. Probably 80 percent of the job is believing in yourself when you’re bowling and not panicking and worrying. I believe we would have won the Ashes last year had Jack been playing in those first two Tests. There’s no way we wouldn’t have bowled them out at Edgbaston had Jack been playing. I can’t wait to see him back," Swann concluded.
The 2023 Ashes in England resulted in a 2-2 draw, with Australia keeping hold of the urn.