"Ripe for the taking": England legend says 'golden chance' to beat India

The Indian team lost the opening Test of the five-match India vs England series at Hyderabad. Interestingly, India are unbeaten at home for more than a decade with the Three Lions being the last team to win a Test series back in 2012-13. 

However, the loss in the first IND vs ENG Test has given the visitors an edge to repeat history and break the jinx. The new-age England team with their 'Bazball' tactic has given a testament to their mettle and will surely look to capitalize on the win. 

Echoing on the same lines, England legend Geoffrey Boycott opined that this is a 'golden chance' for the Ben Stokes-led side to defeat India. Also with Kohli out due to personal reasons and Jadeja, KL Rahul sidelined due to injuries, England will definitely believe they have their noses ahead. 

In his column for The Telegraph, Boycott wrote, “This India team are ripe for the taking and England has a golden chance to be the first side to topple them on their own patch for 12 years. India badly miss Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja has a hamstring injury and will not play the second Test. ” 

Boycott takes a dig at India skipper Rohit Sharma 

Notably, India skipper Rohit Sharma has come under the limelight after the loss in the series opener. He did not have much of an impact in the first Test which the hosts lost by 28 runs against England. Rohit also has had a poor series against South Africa recently. In two matches in the Rainbow Nation, Rohit could only manage 60 runs at an average of 20.

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Boycott was critical of Rohit and wrote, “Their captain Rohit Sharma is nearly 37 and past his best. He makes pretty cameos but has scored only two Test hundreds at home in four years,” he wrote in his column for The Telegraph. The Indian opener made 545 runs from eight matches in 2023 at an average of 41.92 with a ton against Australia in Nagpur.

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