Woodster
International Captain
More than the two bowlers, the success can be attributed more to the 4 all rounders in the middle. England has been a strong all round team at home, just like India and Australia.
Yeah BW was wrong to say that England only have 2 bowlers at home.
However, an unbeaten home record of 3.5 years where they have drawn a series against Pakistan, drawn another one with NZ, dropped a Test to the WI and been bounced out by Ishant Sharma doesn't scream dominance.
Nobody's saying they're weak at home, but it's easy to understand why people may think that out of SA, Aus and England, India has the best chance to beat England. I don't necessarily agree with it, but surely you can understand why people think that way.
Guys, my original and only point on this was that England’s unbeaten 3 and a half year home record was not just down to two bowlers, as good as Jimmy, in particular, has been in that time. It is down to scoring runs in that middle order and a bowling attack that has functioned well as a unit, including Moeen as the spinner.England is still a solid team at home. No one is doubting that. But the original point was that England is India's best chance this overseas season. Not a certainty that they would win. Yes I do concede that my assessment of English bowling attack was influenced a lot more by the current Ashes series and I failed to consider that they are a lot more potent in their own conditions.
But the original point still stands. Not one subcontinental team have ever won a series in South Africa or Australia
The best results achieved by India and Pakistan are 1-1 draws.
All 3 subcontinent teams have won a series in England. Pakistan's greatest Test team still lost 0-3 in Australia but managed 2-2 in England.
People then have started to pick holes in reasons why England are unbeaten in that time and no matter what, it is still a very respectable record that shows a degree of consistency and a difficulty for other sides to come over here and win a series.
As for the original point of the thread, I think this Indian side can achieve very good things abroad, if lessons have been learnt, the quality is absolutely thereabd they do have players capable of performing to a high standard away from home so there is no reason why they couldn’t give England a very good run for their money.