India is set to take a hiatus from international cricket following their victory in the 2025 Champions Trophy, with the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on the horizon. However, after the T20 league, Indian players will encounter a significantly different challenge as they prepare for a five-match Test series in England. Former cricketer and commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu emphasized the importance of early preparation for the tour, particularly in light of the team's recent difficulties in red-ball cricket.

“The primary concern is that the IPL is approaching, and no player is willing to forgo participation in it,” Sidhu remarked on Sports Tak. “They will engage in the league, and then suddenly, the England tour will arrive. The conditions will change drastically, akin to transitioning from the North Pole to the South Pole. It will be entirely different. Additionally, India's last Test series in England commenced on August 4, while this time it concludes on August 2, with matches scheduled for June and July. The pitches will be lush and moist, and the heavy air will facilitate significant movement of the ball, including seam movement.”

“England will be well-prepared at home, and they are like wounded tigers, having faced defeats recently.”

Despite India clinching the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy within nine months, they experienced a disheartening 3-0 loss to New Zealand in a home Test series. This, along with a 3-1 defeat to Australia in an away series, led to India missing out on qualifying for the World Test Championship final for the first time.

Sidhu rues absence of Pandya, and Axar in India's Test side

Sidhu remarked that one of the significant challenges facing India is addressing the absence of all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel in the Test team.

“The primary issue for India lies in the middle order, where there is a lack of all-rounders comparable to those seen in white-ball cricket. Is there a player like Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, or Axar Patel? Among these three, only Jadeja is available, and even his contributions will be limited. Can we expect him to take 4-5 wickets in an innings? The answer is no,” Sidhu stated.

The former cricketer emphasized that India must make strategic decisions regarding their bowling attack without sacrificing batting depth. “To achieve this, reliance on players like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and possibly Arshdeep Singh is essential. Additionally, incorporating a mystery spinner could exploit England's weaknesses. However, India may not utilize Varun Chakravarthy, opting instead for Kuldeep. If these four bowlers are selected, none contribute to batting, which raises concerns about reinforcing the batting lineup. These are the pressing issues that India must confront,” he concluded.

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