Joe Root should be the rock around which we can build big innings, like Cook: Andy Flower

After finishing a whitewash in Sri Lanka, England shifts attention towards India for their biggest challenge of the season. The Three Lions are set to play 4 Tests, 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs against the hosts. The tour will begin with the Test series, Anthony de Mello Trophy on 5 February at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

India, on the other hand, registered a historic Border Gavaskar Trophy triumph in Australia and looks like a commendable force that no one wants to reason with. During the 2012 England tour of India, visitors were totally at the hosts, and captain Alastair Cook was firing all cylinders. 

Speaking to the Daily Mail, former Zimbabwe captain and England coach, Andy Flower said he expects the current captain of England, Joe Root, to play like Alastair Cook played against India in 2012 tour.

"It’s one thing going to Australia and trying to win but a four-match series in India is challenging in a very different way and I think it’s going to be tougher for England now than it was for us. India will be more confident after that win in Australia and they’re also a more confident nation now about their standing in world cricket," Andy Flower told Daily Mail.

Flower believes that Joe Root can stand firm against the mighty Indian bowling unit, and that it will be crucial for them to have a successful campaign in the Indian Subcontinent. Cook scored 562 runs in the four-match Test series back in 2012 and that helped their cause by winning the Tests 2-1.

"Joe should be the rock around which we can build big innings, like Cook was in our team. He’s our most skilful player of spin and can combine a really nice, soft defence with the alternating of strike and occasionally jumping out of his bubble and scoring boundaries," he said.

It was Kevin Pietersen who played the supporting act to Cook, right now England can depend on vice-captains Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes to play such roles.

"Then we need guys like Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes to come to the party with a more pro-active game, a bit like Kevin Pietersen did in 2012. Where Root might be playing at a certain tempo, those guys can up it and really put pressure on the opposition spinners," said Andy Flower.

And it was during the same 2012 England tour of India that Joe Root made his international debut. Back then, the young lad had impressed everyone with his ability to play spin in pressure situations.

"No one knew how he would respond to the pressure but if I’d been putting a couple of quid on it, I’d have bet on him doing outstandingly well in international cricket. Straight away I could see he had a very good method against spin, picked length well and had a good defence," he said.

A future captain was born

"I did think I saw a guy back then who could go on to lead —absolutely. I thought Joe had a nice blend of perspective, knowledge and understanding of the game. He also had popularity among the players. Even as a young guy who liked messing around a little he had the respect of people around him. He clearly had qualities that could make him a future captain." he concluded. 

England’s squad for the Test series

Joe Root (Yorkshire) (captain), Ben Stokes (Durham) (vice-captain),  Jofra Archer (Sussex), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Dom Bess (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), and Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).

Reserves and Standby:

James Bracey (Gloucestershire), Mason Crane (Hampshire), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), and Amar Virdi (Surrey).

[Daily Mail input]