The England cricket team which was scheduled to tour on the Indian shores for a 5 match test series starting January 25 at Hyderabad roped in 4 spinners for this tour . This included the experience of Jack Leach, a test match old Rehan Ahmed, and uncapped duo in tests of Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir.
The left arm orthodox 24 year old Tom Hartley who hasn’t played a Test but has appeared in two ODIs for England, is banking on his white-ball experience to deliver in the sub-continent. Tom Hartley on his first tour in the subcontinent also acknowledges the stark contrast between English and Indian conditions but is buoyed by the faith shown in his abilities.
The young spinner is set to play a supporting role to the likes of experienced Jack Leach and second to Rehan Ahmed rather than as a frontline spinner, which he feels reduces the pressure on him, allowing him to focus on simplicity and effectiveness. Hartley’s strategy is to keep things uncomplicated, aiming to maintain the stumps in play and leverage the conditions that traditionally favor spinners.
Despite modest statistics in the previous year’s County Championship, where he took 19 wickets at an average of 44.84, Hartley’s potential to exploit spinner-friendly surfaces has not gone unnoticed. The 24-year-old left-arm spinner believed that his performance in training camps justifies the selectors’ decision to include him in the squad, viewing it as a calculated risk or “a bit of a punt” on England’s part.
Tom Hartley’s performance in the ongoing test series against India
Nathan Lyon is someone I want to try to replicate- Tom Hartley
Lancashire’s acquisition of Lyon, who has 527 Test dismissals, is a shrewd bit of business. At the time of the signing, Tom Hartley’s modest average of 36.57 from just 20 first-class matches hinted at the need for a more accomplished spinner. Now, after a remarkable six weeks, Tom Hartley is an altogether different proposition.
The left-arm spinner Tom Hartley currently is at the top of the wicket-takers list in the series with 20 scalps to his name and has also been handy with the bat for England lower down the order. He bowled England to victory with a seven wicket haul in the second innings of his debut test match in Hyderabad .
Coming to India has made believe I can perform at this level exclaims Tom Hartley
Hartley said that coming to India has made him believe that he has the talent to perform at the highest level. He added :
“I’d not really played a whole lot of red-ball cricket, but coming here has made me believe that I do have a talent for this and I can perform at this level. When I go out on the field I’m really trying, believing and thinking that I can do well. It’s not just a case of bowling and hoping the batter chips one up, or trying to go at two or three an over. It’s been a complete change of mindset,”
India and England will lock horns in the final Test in Dharamshala from March 7 and Tom Hartley will like to make an final impact before England team leaves the Indian shore for their next assignments.