Within a week’s time, the most anticipated series of the World Test Championship 2023 -2025 cycle would begin in the Asian subcontinent .The England side led by the management of Brendon McCullum and fiery all rounder Ben Stokes with their famous ‘Bazball’ approach is all set to take on the Unbeaten Indian side who are in the test series in their home conditions since 2012 and this time under the management led by coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma.
With the 5 match test series starting in Hyderabad on 25th of January 2024, the excitement of the series especially the Bazball approach which has been made famous by England all round the world ,talks of how Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum will apply this on the cricket fields in India is already buzzing around the people in India .
Ben Stokes and England team will be fully aware of the cricket crazy crowd in India being the 12th man when the series starts and would stand in full support behind Rohit Sharma and his men with minimal support to England during the test series all through the venues they travel in the due course of the series.
Indian cricket and its crowd connection
The crowd love and support for the Indian cricket team would have a separate golden chapter if a book is written on the HISTORY OF INDIAN CRICKET. Not only in India, wherever India travels across the globe the love and support for the Indian team is immense from the crowd to an extent that even foreign tours becomes an home tours for Indian Cricket team.
As Indian cricket has produced heroes right from Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin Tendulkar in the past to Virat Kohli right now it is evident that these heroes performances on the field were incomplete without the support of their 12th man , the Indian crowd. Whenever India plays in India or any other country, every common man in Indian household or Indians abroad just stands behind them becoming one single support team praying for Indian teams success during all the matches they play.
To silence a big crowd who always are being the supporter of India, is a huge deal and Ben Stokes and company would be aware that if they have to win the hearts of the Indian supporters who always had been a great fan of good cricket.
They will have to play exceptional game of cricket on the field taking example from Pat Cummins from the recently concluded World Cup 2023 Final where Australia through their resilience and game plan on the field silenced the Indian crowd and compelled them to praise Australia for their play in the finals and bash their own beloved players for poor display in the finals.
While Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum would be busy setting plans for on field play, Former England pacer Steven Finn has given valuable advice to them on how through their exceptional display only England would be able to gain love and respect from the Indian crowds who could even criticize their own team if they fail versus England at home .
Try to win hearts of crazy Indian fans with your game suggests Former Fast bowler Steven Finn to Ben Stokes and company.
Former England seamer Steven Finn believes the Englishmen must win over the Indian fans to emerge victorious in the upcoming Test series. The retired cricketer reckons the Indian public’s behavior will fluctuate depending upon the home side’s performance. The five-Test series in India, beginning on January 25th, will be a litmus test for Ben Stokes’ men. With England batters struggling against spin during their last two visits, not many believe they will emerge victorious in India.
Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Finn said:
“If they play well and give a good account of themselves, as the series goes on that tide can turn, because we know how polarizing the Indian cricket team can be to their public depending on how they are playing.”
The 34-year-old recalled how England tried to win over the crowd during their visits to India, Australia, and South Africa during his playing days.
“The three most memorable tours I went on, India 2012, Australia 2010-11 and South Africa 2016, all three of them, one of the motivations for us was to try and get the opposition public on side and turn them against their own team. That’s a huge benefit to you, and having Stokes and McCullum at the helm gives England an opportunity to do that,”
Finn was part of England’s squad when they registered a stunning series win over India in 2012. Despite losing the first Test by nine wickets, the tourists bounced back exceptionally well to emerge triumphant during that series.
IPL superstardom of some of the players will count to England’s benefit- Steven Finn
The former Middlesex seamer added that there is a chance the Indian crowd might side with a few Englishmen due to their presence in the IPL.
“I think the IPL superstardom of some of the players will count to England’s benefit,” he said. “Kevin Pietersen aside, that 2012 team, people weren’t really superstars in India, whereas you have quite a few guys this time going over who have played in the IPL and are superstars in that. I think that will count.” concluded Finn
Finn announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on August 14th, 2023. He played 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 21 T20Is for England having taken 125, 102 and 27 wickets in above mentioned respective formats.
The first of the five Tests between India and England begins on January 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. England will be keen continue its quest to win a series in the longest format of the game, a feat that has evaded them for over a decade since last time when they achieved the feat in India in 2012 which in turn would make the India -England series an interesting watch for all the cricket lovers and fans across the globe.