India vs England: Momentum is with India, get Joe Root out early and win Headingley Test, say former cricketers | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India are 1-0 up in the ongoing Test series and will aim to make it 2-0 when they face England in the third Test at Headingley in Leeds. After the rain-marred first Test ended in a draw and denied India a chance for what should have been a rather straightforward win, the Indian pacers fired in unison, after KL Rahul’s brilliant ton in the first innings, and pummelled England to claim a 151-run win in the second Test at Lord’s.
Can India, who are chasing their first series win on English soil since 2007, win the series from here? For that to happen, a win in the third Test in Leeds for the visitors becomes extremely crucial. A 2-0 lead, with two Tests left to play after that will ensure that India can’t lose the series.
Former India cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar feels India shouldn’t take things lightly now and are favourites to win the series.

“This is the best opportunity for India to win a series in England. They are 1-0 up and that means they are in a strong position now. They shouldn’t take anything lightly now. They have got the momentum and should win the series now. Our batsmen should score more, especially the middle order. India need to put a good total on the board,” Vengsarkar told TimesofIndia.com.
Former England spinner Monty Panesar meanwhile feels the key to India taking a 2-0 lead in the series will be to dismiss the in-form Joe Root early in Leeds.
Root is currently the leading run-scorer of the series so far, with 386 runs in 2 Tests (4 innings) at an average of 128.67. He scored 64 and 109 in the opening Test and then continued his rich vein of form, scoring a magnificent 180 not out in the first innings of the second Test at Lord’s. Though England lost the match, Root’s 321-ball stay at the crease frustrated Indian bowlers.

“Headingley is the home ground for Joe Root and also Jonny Bairstow. India played really outstanding cricket in the Lord’s Test, but they may face a big challenge in Headingley. If India continue to bowl like this, they will go on and win the series. India are favourites to win the Headingley Test only if they get Joe Root out early. Siraj is the biggest difference for them. Siraj has made things difficult for England in the series so far. England batsmen are finding it difficult to read Siraj well,” Panesar told TimesofIndia.com.
India have played 6 Tests at Headingley so far and have won two and lost three. One Test ended in a draw.
The first-ever win for India, at the venue, was registered in 1986, under Kapil Dev’s captaincy when the team defeated the Mike Gatting-led England by 279 runs. India, under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly, registered another win in Leeds in 2002, with an innings and 46 run win against the then Nasser Hussain-led side.
Panesar feels India captain Virat Kohli will once again go in with an aggressive approach in the third Test.

“Virat Kohli would want his players to go hard at the English batsmen in Headingley. That’s the approach he would be going with. The Indian team would want the confrontation and drama. Joe Root is a very calm character, but the one player who can give it back to the Indian team is Jonny Bairstow. He is such a fiery character. But that’s all up to captain Joe Root whether they will confront the Indian team or focus on their game plan and strategy. India would want drama and confrontation and England would be calm at Headingly,” Panesar further said.
“England desperately need Ben Stokes if they want to save the series. Joe Root needs Ben Stokes right now in the team. England are missing him badly. The equation would have been different if Stokes was here,” the former England spinner, who played 50 Tests, 26 ODIs and 1 T20I, further told TimesofIndia.com.
Meanwhile, former India cricketer Maninder Singh also feels that the momentum is very much with India, but again the team needs to stop the dangerous Root.

“The momentum is with India. India would have been 2-0 up in the series. If it hadn’t rained on Day 5, India would have won the first Test easily and the scoreline would have been 2-0. India need to get Joe Root out early in the second Test. He is the man in form,” Maninder said.
“I am really shocked by the way England are playing. It looks like they are playing with one batsman and one bowler. The batsman is Joe Root and the bowler is Jimmy Anderson. A Five match Test series is not an easy series. If you consider Sam Curran as Ben Stokes’s replacement, then it shows England are really struggling,” the former India cricketer told TimesofIndia.com.
“This is one of the best fast bowling units I have seen of India’s. The most beautiful thing about this team is that everyone is equal when they are on the field. Look at the youngster Siraj, a new entrant, he has now started taking responsibilities. In fact, Kohli heaps praise on him. I am sure these seniors must be sharing their experiences with these youngsters,” Maninder further said.