Former England spinner Monty Panesar has fired a warning shot ahead of the second Test of India’s five-match series against England, saying the visitors could whitewash India if Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley continue to play the way they did in Hyderabad.
England beat India by 28 runs in a nail-biting finish at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad to take a 1-0 lead in their five-match Test series.
Speaking to ANI ahead of the second Test, Panesar said England will whitewash India if Pope and Hartley continue to play the way they did in Hyderabad. Pope scored 196 runs and was adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ while Hartley claimed seven wickets in the second innings to guide his side to a thrilling win in Hyderabad.
“If Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley continue to play like this it will be a whitewash, it will be 5-0 for England. It can happen if Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley play like this,” said Panesar.
“It is a very big victory, no one even imagined this was even possible. Everyone thought that England would lose after a 190 deficit but Ollie Pope had a brilliant inning one of the best innings we have seen in a long time and Rohit Sharma was clueless,” Panesar added.
IND v ENG, 1st Test: Scorecard | Highlights
He went on to say that this was one of England’s most famous wins, while adding that it feels like England has won the World Cup. This was just India’s fourth loss in home Test matches in a span of 10 years.
“It was one of the most famous victories England have ever produced overseas. This is big news in England. It feels like we have won the World Cup,” said Panesar.
England will be aiming to win their first Test series on Indian soil since 2012/13 when Alastair Cook led his side to a 2-1 victory against India. Since then, England has lost two Test series in India, succumbing to a 0-4 loss in 2016/17 and 1-3 loss in 2020/21.
Following the defeat in Hyderabad, the hosts will be itching to bounce back when they face England in the second match of the series, set to be held at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium at Vizag on February 2.
