India vs England 2020-21: Nasser Hussain, Michael Vaughan slam England's squad selection for first two Tests

India and England get set to lock horns in a four-Test series, as the former defends the Anthony de Mello Trophy. Both sides would aim for success to eye the final spot in the ICC World Test Championship. Both the sides have announced squads for the opening two Tests.

Team Newsable

London, First Published Jan 24, 2021, 2:16 PM IST

India and England would engage in a fierce battle during the upcoming four-Test series for the Anthony de Mello Trophy, defended by the former. As the tour gets underway from February 5, with the opening two Tests in Chennai, both the sides have announced their respective squads for the first two games.

Meanwhile, former English legends, Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan have expressed their displeasure at selecting the English side. The squad is also notable for having rested fecund wicketkeeper-batsman, Jonny Bairstow.

"I would say it's a concern that one of England's best three players of spin -- I would say Bairstow is alongside Joe Root and Ben Stokes in that -- has been given a boarding pass home and the others are going to Chennai. I'd have to rethink. England fans switching on when it is turning and England are 20/2 may well have the argument, 'I want to see our best batsman against spin, or one of them, in Bairstow," wrote Hussain for Sky Sports.

"If the next Test after this series was Brisbane in the Ashes, would we send our best side? So why when it's the first Test against India, one of the great sides, aren't we sending our best team? It is that balancing act of being fair to the public and winning what's in front of you and long-term planning all year," he added.

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Meanwhile, Vaughan was spell-bound with selected English side and declared that the world has truly gone mad. "The only player in England's Top-three that's playing the sub-continent conditions with any control or calmness is resting for the first two Tests against the best team in world at home #India !!! The world is officially mad," he noted in a tweet.

It is also to be noted that besides Bairstow, Mark Wood and Sam Curran have been rested as well against India, who are currently featuring against Lanka. Nonetheless, it would also mark the return of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Rory Burns, who are not playing in Lanka.

England squad for first two Tests against India: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (wk), Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

Last Updated Jan 24, 2021, 2:15 PM IST