India looking to repeat history against England

Eight years ago, a home series against England proved to be the light at the end of the tunnel for India after a disastrous tour to South Africa.

After losing a Test and one-day series in the southern hemisphere, Mohammad Azharuddin's team beat England 3-0 in 1993. Captain Saurav Ganguly, in a similar position going into the first Test on Monday, is hoping history will repeat itself.

"England are a good side, but we have a good record at home. We didn't play well in South Africa but this is a new series," Ganguly told reporters on Sunday.

After the row between the International Cricket Council and the Indian cricket board over suspended batsman Virender Sehwag, who will now miss the Test, it is time to refocus on cricket.

There could be no better venue for England to start their Test campaign. Sunny Mohali, with its cool breeze and reputation for seaming tracks, is as close to the English summer as it possible to get in India.

"This is a phenomenal cricket facility, it puts a lot of people to shame," England captain Nasser Hussain told a news conference on Sunday. "It's going to be an event here, great playing cricket in these conditions.

"But we have no doubt that we're playing against the toughest opposition possible -- India at home. They may have lost to South Africa away, but they're not worried about playing anyone at home."

BIG FOUR

India will be relying on their big four in the batting line-up -- Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Vangipurappu Laxman -- to deliver along with opener Shiv Sundar Das, who's been impressive since making his debut last season.

But the main weapons in their arsenal are the spin doctors.

Off-spinner Harbjahan Singh has blossomed since capturing 32 wickets in a stunning 2-1 series win against Australia earlier this year and leg-break bowler Anil Kumble is regarded as one of the best spinners in the business.

With Delhi off-spinner Sharandeep Singh, like Harbhajan a turban-clad Sikh, also in the line-up India have plenty of options and judging by England's poor reputation against slow bowling all three spinners will make Monday's final XI.

In the absence of pace spearheards Andy Caddick and Darren Gough, England will have to fall back on their inexperienced speed attack of Richard Johnson, James Ormond and Matthew Hoggard.

But all-rounders Craig White and Andrew Flintoff are both in good form and have chipped in with useful wickets and runs on the tour so far.

OPTIONS

"White and Flintoff really give us a lot of options, I have a final 12 roughly thought out but I haven't told the team yet and we'll see who is unfortunate to miss out," Hussain said.

Hussain said England were likely to play only one spinner and the conTest for a debut cap will be between off-spinners Martyn Ball and Richard Dawson after left-arm spinner Ashley Giles was ruled out due to injury.

"Giles has been ruled out and we'll miss him, hopefully he'll be okay by the second Test. It's just a bruising problem in his heel," Hussain said.

England's batting has threatened to click on a couple of occasions, with Mark Ramprakash scoring a hundred in Hyderabad and Hussain looking good despite failing to capitalise on good starts.

"It's a good opportunity for us to prove ourselves. But we'll have to at our absolute best if we have to win," Hussain said.

Teams (from):

India - Saurav Ganguly (captain), Sanjay Bangar, Shiv Sundar Das, Deep Dasgupta, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Vangipurappu Laxman, Jacob Martin, Iqbal Siddiqui, Harbhajan Singh, Sharandeep Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Connor Williams, Tinu Yohannan.

England - Nasser Hussain (captain), Usman Afzaal, Martyn Ball, Mark Butcher, Richard Dawson, Andrew Flintoff, James Foster, Ashley Giles, Warren Hegg, Matthew Hoggard, Richard Johnson, James Ormond, Mark Ramprakash, Graham Thorpe, Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Craig White.

Umpires: Steve Bucknor (West Indies), Srinivas Venkataraghavan (India). Third umpire: K. Murali (India)

Match referee: Denis Lindsay (South Africa).

Mail Cricket Editor