ANDREW Strauss believes the next 12 months could be his greatest Test so far as England captain. The 34-year-old has led the side to Ashes victories at home and abroad as they have become the number one Test team in the world.
However, he believes next year’s tours to the United Arab Emirates to take on Pakistan and to Sri Lanka may be a bigger challenge.
Asked if the next 12 months would be his hardest time as skipper, he told Radio Five Live: “Yeah, quite possibly. As we saw from the one-day series in India (which England lost 5-0), the sub-continent is a tough place for English sides to go.”
Strauss added: “The skills that you need to employ there are very different than in England and therefore we’re going to have to react very quickly to what goes on out there.
“But I think we go there in a positive frame of mind. I think we’re very confident that our method works against most players most of the time and occasionally we’re going to have to adapt to situations. That excites us.
“I think because we’ve had a lot of success over the last couple of years that idea we’ve got to move forward is quite invigorating and quite motivating and hopefully we’ll see some good performances as a result.”
Strauss was not involved in the humiliating whitewash in India, with Alastair Cook now the one-day captain, but he knows his Test side will still have to meet and overcome similar challenges.
“What you have to get your head around is the fact that it’s going to be incredibly hot, you’re going to have to bat for long periods, you’re going to have to play spin well,” he added.
“As a bowling unit you’re going to have to find ways of taking wickets when the ball’s old and not reversing, which English sides traditionally haven’t done well which is why our record in the sub-continent isn’t good.
“These are the things which we are thinking about at the moment. I don’t think we’re looking to reinvent the wheel, but we’re going to have to be better than we have been. That’s a pretty good motivation tool.” (PA Sport)