London: England off-spinner Graeme Swann today sought to spice up the much-anticipated Test series against India, starting at Lord’s on Thursday by claiming that his side’s top order batsmen are better than the famed batting line-up of the visiting team.
Swann said England have a superior batting line-up to India’s and expects them to prove it during the four-match Test series.
“They have got a very good batting line-up but I’d argue whether they are the best in the world at the minute because I think our top six might be,” said Swann.
“Their records certainly stack against each other,” said Swann when asked about the challenge of facing up to the likes of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman in the second half of the summer.
The Test series will see a modified version of Decision Review System in operation with Hot-Spot and snickometer to be employed but Swann rued the absence of Hawk-Eye ball-tracking technology as it will only be worth challenging caught-behind decisions and not LBWs.
Swann, who has taken 140 wickets in 32 Tests since making his debut in India in December 2008, has benefited from the introduction of the DRS, particularly with LBW shouts.
It’s a shame we are not using Hawk-Eye
“It would be nice if we were using it (DRS). It has been a great introduction to Test cricket over last two-three years and it works. But so be it, the powers that be have decided we are only using it for I think caught behinds,” he said.
“It’s a shame it’s (Hawk-Eye) not being used. I hope there aren’t any decisions that change Test matches because of it. It’s one of those things that Indians have been reluctant to use since it came out. All over the world there are traditionalists and I’m sure there are some people at Lord’s who are happy with this situation. The standard of umpiring has improved because of DRS,” Swann said.
On his own prospects in the series, Swann said, “The trick is to put enough runs on the board as a team to then allow our bowlers to bowl them out twice. Should that happen, should the sun come out a little bit, I may get a chance to bowl and take some wickets.
“I am not overly fussed if it (the pitch) doesn’t spin too much as long as it swings around for the likes of Jimmy Anderson to exploit.”
Swann said England should stay focused on the immediate task at hand rather than getting carried away with the thoughts of becoming the world number one side.
England can topple top-ranked India if they win the series by a two-match margin.
Too risky to focus only on Sachin
Swann feels it would be too risky to focus only on Sachin Tendulkar in the upcoming Test series as India have other key batsmen in their side.
“It’s very risky to focus on Sachin alone. He is the best of the modern generation and the record speaks for itself. But just focusing on him can create the risk of someone sneaking from the back door and take the game away from us,” Swann said.
Swann, however, could not but praise Tendulkar, who is chasing his 100th international hundred at Lord’s, a venue he has not enjoyed in the past.
“I saw him get a hundred on TV before Sky Sports even started — that was how long ago! He’s a phenomenal talent to still be going now and on the verge of a 100th hundred in international games.
“Hopefully he’ll have to wait six or seven months for that because we don’t want him getting one in England.”
The 32-year-old bowler, however, said that India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was probably the most charismatic cricketer in the team.
“MS Dhoni is probably the most charismatic cricketer they ever had. You have to be in India to realise the sway he holds in that country. He is more important than any other player. He leads from the front and is a very dangerous cricketer. He’s the key man,” Swann, rated by many as one of the best off-spinners in the world, said. (PTI)
