Uncapped England’s left-arm spinner Tom Hartley has voiced confidence in his capacity to succeed on Indian wickets during the forthcoming five-match Test series, which begins in Hyderabad on January 25.
The 24-year-old is one of four spinners in England’s squad for the challenging Test series in India.
With multiple right-handed hitters in India’s top six, England might give Hartley his Test debut as the second left-arm spinner in the starting XI, behind veteran Jack Leach.
According to Wisden Cricket Monthly, Hartley believes surfaces in India are more suited to his style of bowling and that just precision is necessary to attain ultimate success.
I’ve only been to India once, but the pitches just enable you to fire it in; there’s no need to think about flight, cunning, or anything else.
You simply let the pitch do the work. In county cricket, the pitches are much flatter, so spinners must use their wits more, but in India, you are expected to be in charge.
If you fire it in and strike the seam, it will drag past the edge, according to Hartley.
The conditions will be to my advantage; I bowl similarly to their lads, so there’s no need for me to be afraid; you just have to bowl at what’s in front of you.
I’m in the mid-50s mph range, but because of my height, I can’t go up and down; my trajectory is usually down, but that’s not a bad thing; it simply makes me bowl a little faster, he added.
Hartley has only played two One-Day Internationals for England against Ireland, bowling only one and finishing with stats of 0/48 in ten overs.
Despite Rehan Ahmed’s one Test appearance for England, Hartley is their most experienced first-class spinner behind Leach, with 20 games.
I have a carrom ball – “Tom Hartley”
Tom Hartley claimed that he is working on a carrom delivery ahead of the India Test series and hopes to use it effectively if allowed to play for the XI.
England was the last team to defeat India in a home Test series in 2012/13.
However, they have lost seven of their last nine Tests in India, including series thrashings in 2016-17 and 2020-21.
I have a ‘carrom’ ball. It is almost there.
It’s simple to bowl it in the nets; I’ve done it a few times in county cricket and a little in a white ball, but with the type of play that England is looking for, if given the chance, I’ll flip it out for you, said Hartley.
Due to Lancashire’s unfavorable spin surfaces at home, the 24-year-old averages only 36.57 in his 20 first-class outings.
Hartley is also a valuable batter in the county circuit, as demonstrated by his batting average of 29 and two half-centuries.
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