New Delhi, June 17 Former England spinner Graeme Swann believes England need to convincingly defeat India in the five-Test series, which is scheduled to begin on June 20 at the Headingley Cricket Ground, as a build-up to the Ashes which will be played in Australia later this year.
England finished the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle in a dismal fifth place, having won only 10 of their 22 matches, with 11 defeats and one draw to their name.
The series against India will provide an opportunity for their relatively inexperienced bowling attack to find their groove. Meanwhile, India too will be without its two most experienced batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli who retired from the longest format ahead of the tour of England.
“It's kind of the perfect warmup for the ashes to be honest. India is a huge series and the last two or three times we've gone to India, we've been thoroughly outplayed. So in our own backyard, our home turf, we need to beat India. We need to play well.
“They're not going to have Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, their two absolute experienced superstars with the bat. So without that, yes, they've got great players coming in instead, but we've got bowlers who exploit our conditions well and can bowl really well.
“ I think England must look to win this series, and I think it should look to win it convincingly as well. I'll take four-one three two at a push, but I really hope we do well and get the confidence moving into the ashes,” said Swann to Sky Sports.
England have not won the Ashes since winning 3-2 on home turf in 2015 and have not won a single Test match in Australia since 2011.
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