Ganguly warns of England bowling threat

HONG KONG: Indian legend Sourav Ganguly warned the world champions on Wednesday they would come away second-best from their tour of England unless they pulled out all the stops.
India are looking to wrap up their second straight Test series victory over West Indies and create a piece of history by becoming the first Indian side to win a Test and One-day International series in the Caribbean.

But 39-year-old Ganguly, widely regarded as one of his country’s most successful captains and among the greatest batsmen of all-time, said next month’s England tour would be an altogether more difficult prospect.
“We toured England in 2007 … I was a part of the tour, an important member of the side, and we won the series. We were the only side which beat England other than Australia in the last 20 years,” said the left-hander, in Hong Kong to promote the International Cricket Council’s annual conference.
“So India have beaten England in the recent past in a Test series but that doesn’t guarantee a win this time.”
“England have done well, England are doing well, but it’s going to be a series between two top teams and both of them have to be at their best if they want to win the series.”
India embark on a two-and-a-half month tour of England in July and will play four Test matches, five ODIs and two Twenty20 matches.
Ganguly pointed to England’s potent bowling attack, singling out Stuart Broad, Chris Tremlett and James Anderson as the main threats.
“India are dominating the West Indies but … we know they are not the best team in the world and India are the number one Test team in the world,” he said.
“England, in England, will be good, will be hard. Their bowling attack looks alright with Broad, Tremlett and Anderson. It’s going to be a good series.”
India are touring the West Indies without star players Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan.
The five, all part of India’s World Cup winning team, played for their Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises, and Sachin and Zaheer have been rested for the West Indies series while Sehwag, Gambhir and Yuvraj are missing the tour on medical grounds.
Indian media have highlighted concerns that the Test side is being undermined by the glitzy IPL but Ganguly said the Test team would always come first.
“Test cricket is the best form of cricket,” said the so-called ‘Prince of Calcutta’. “Watch the series when India goes to England. It’s going to be full houses at every venue. India goes to Australia in the winter and that’s going to be full houses.”
“Test cricket will always be the best and the most important form of cricket.”

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