"Their fast bowling looks slightly weak and our batting looks slightly inexperienced" - Aakash Chopra on the contest in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that England have a slightly weak bowling lineup and India have a slightly inexperienced batting lineup heading into the Test series between the two sides. He noted that the battle between the two departments could be the differentiator in the series.

India will face England in a five-match Test series, with the first Test starting in Leeds on Friday, June 20. While the visitors will miss the retired Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's services in the batting department, the hosts will be without the likes of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood in their bowling department at least at the start of the series.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener highlighted that the two sides have shortcomings in different departments, and picked the contest between them as a potential deciding factor in the series.

"A big theme could be England's fast bowling problems. Their main fast bowlers are not available. If Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer and Olly Stone are not going to be there, it means they will be under pressure. Whatever they have might or might not be enough," Chopra said (8:35). "The story is that their fast bowling looks slightly weak and our batting looks slightly inexperienced. Whoever does better in this contest, I think will make a huge difference, because there are question marks over India's batting now also," he added.

While noting that he will keenly watch how Ben Stokes uses his bowling resources, Chopra added India could take advantage of that weak link.

"The question marks over England's bowling are as big. So, how Ben Stokes manages it, and how much he bowls himself, it will be interesting to see, but prima facie, this is a really weak bowling attack, and that presents an opportunity to start the tournament well," he observed.

England have already announced their playing XI for the first Test. They have picked three frontline pacers in Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue, a specialist spinner in Shoaib Bashir, with Ben Stokes as the seam-bowling all-rounder.

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"See the ball quickly and play the ball late" - Aakash Chopra's advice to Indian batters ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul will likely open for India in the first Test against England. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra shared his advice for the Indian batters.

"What should India be mindful of? They will have to leave deliveries outside the off stump and will have to let the ball come to them. See the ball quickly and play the ball late," he said (9:45).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the visitors need to follow former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar's suggestion of defending straight and scoring square.

"Defend straight and score square. These were Baba Bangar's fantastic words. He had played an excellent knock at Headingley as well. He had left a lot of deliveries and let them come close to him. So, score runs square with the swing and defend straight. That should be India's plan against England's slightly depleted fast bowling," Chopra observed.

Sanjay Bangar played 236 deliveries for his 68 runs in the 2002 Leeds Test against England. He added 170 runs for the second wicket with Rahul Dravid (148 off 307) to help India post 628/8 in their first innings, with the visitors eventually winning the game by an innings and 46 runs.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer