India have a great opportunity to win the Test series in England, says Anil Kumble

Indian team has enough experience in both bowling and batting to outwit hosts England, said former captain and coach Anil Kumble.

“We have a great side and an all-round side. In bowling we have the experience and bowlers who can take 20 wickets consistently. If you look at the batting line-up, it has a lot of experience as well,” he said.

He said the squad had the best spinners in the world and that playing in the second half of the summer would help the Indians.

“On average, all the players have played close to 50 Tests. That adds a lot of value and it’s not the first time that they are touring England. They have all been there before and they are familiar with the conditions,” Kumble said.

“We have the best spinners in the world and even in terms of conditions the fact that we are playing in the second-half will help our cause. We have a great opportunity to win the series. We shouldn’t have a problem operating with Duke ball,” he added.

The former India coach, a leg-spinner himself, said wrist spinners would certainly play an important part in England this time.

“Wrist spinners will certainly be a handful and they will certainly play an important part in England since this time we are touring in the second half. The wicket will have its wear and tear and the wrist spinners will come into the game much earlier than the first half of the summer,” he added.

Ambati Rayudu recently failed the YoYo test and was axed from the England-bound ODI side. Kumble said if YoYo test is part of a process then it should be respected.

“It is important what the communication has been to the player. If that is a criterion that has been laid out and if it’s a part of the process then you should respect that process,” he added.

Kumble, who was in Chennai to unviel a new technology in the forthcoming Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), said such leagues help young players.

“Washington Sundar’s consistent performances in the TNPL fast-tracked him into the IPL and into the Indian team. Similarly with T Natarajan last year when he came out of the blue and nobody knew who he was,” he said.

“He played in the TNPL and was successful and we have seen that even in the Karnataka Premier League where a couple of players who have come in and then straightaway got picked by the IPL franchises. They have performed there and then people noticed,” he added.

With inputs from PTI