Whenever England tour India the selectors first rule is always pack as many spinners in as we can. With the new modern aged dynamics of the game with wicket-keeping batsman and all-rounders up steps Nottinghamshires Graham Swann. Fresh from wanting to buy a pink Ferrari in the Stanford Series he’s now making his test debut.
Two wickets in his first over is something only one man has done before him. Richard Johnson. Exactly; can you remember him? He played a bit in 2003 when Hussain resigned as captain and Graham Smith scored over 500 runs in the first two tests. Time will only tell if Graham Swann will go on to be a world class spinner. To be honest; I very much doubt it.
He can certainly spin it; but when playing against the best (and an in-form Dravid; which is an impossible thing to find at the moment) Swann will be found out. Do his batting capabilities last much more then quick 20′s and 30′s in ODI matches. If England’s first innings is anything to go by then most certainly NOT. His reverse-sweep attempt wasn’t the right shot to play when a gritty, determined knock is needed.
The real test is in the second innings; England could be in a winning position and on a dusty, turning Indian wicket can Graham Swann rip through the worlds best batting line up?
well…the English surely know how to carry a spinner…look at emburey, giles and the lot. They dont have to really, they got some real talent and quality in Panesar…