NEW DELHI: Although the hosts will start as clear favorites in the forthcoming five-match Test series in India, former captain Nasser Hussain has cautioned against discounting England's chances due to their recent success with the "Bazball" strategy.
England haven't lost a Test series since adopting Bazball, while India haven't lost at home since 2012-13.
"India are the favourites, but every single challenge Bazball has faced they've stuck to their guns and Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's record is seriously good, I wouldn't write them off," Hussain told Sky Sports.
"Bazball has been very successful, especially at home, and the two toughest places to tour are India or Australia. It's going to be a massive challenge for England.
"India want to see how this new approach will work at home. It will be fascinating cricket and will be interesting to see how this particular side will go against what is one of the great cricketing outfits at the moment, which is the India side."
1/10:Top 10: Highest run-scorers in India-England Tests
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2/10:Sachin Tendulkar
<p>The great Sachin Tendulkar is the highest run-scorer in Test matches between India and England with 2535 runs in 32 matches at an average of 51.73 with 7 hundreds. </p>TNN
3/10:Joe Root
<p>Former England captain Joe Root is second in the list with 2526 runs in 25 matches at an average of 63.15 with 9 hundreds.</p>Getty Images
4/10:Sunil Gavaskar
<p>The legendary Sunil Gavaskar comes next with 2483 runs in 38 matches at an average of 38.20 with 4 hundreds.</p>Getty Images
5/10:Alastair Cook
<p>Former England captain Alastair Cook scored 2431 runs in 30 matches at an average of 47.66 with 7 centuries.</p>Getty Images
6/10:Virat Kohli
<p>With 1991 runs from 28 matches at an average of 42.36 and 5 hundreds, India run-machine Virat Kohli comes next in the list.</p>Getty Images
7/10:Rahul Dravid
<p>Batting legend and present India head coach Rahul Dravid comes next with 1950 runs in 21 matches at an average of 60.93 with 7 hundreds.</p>Getty Images
8/10:Gundappa Viswanath
<p>The great Gundappa Viswanath comes next with 1880 runs from 30 matches at an average of 37.60 with 4 centuries.</p>Getty Images
9/10:Cheteshwar Pujara
<p>Cheteshwar Pujara has scored 1778 runs from 27 matches at an average of 39.51 with 5 hundreds.</p>Getty Images
10/10:Graham Gooch
<p>Graham Gooch comes next with 1725 runs from 19 matches at an average of 55.64 with 5 centuries. </p>Getty Images'India's spinners are very different to England's'
Because Indian pitches are often slow, spin will be crucial once more. Former England captain Michael Atherton believes that the Indian spin assault has greater diversity.
"If you go to India, spin will play a big part, it historically has done, and I suspect it always will do. India do have a very strong seam attack as well.
1/10:Top 10: Highest wicket-takers in India-England Tests
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2/10:James Anderson
<p>Veteran England fast bowler James Anderson leads the list with 139 wickets in 35 Test matches against India with a best of 5/20 and an average of 24.89.</p>Getty Images
3/10:Bhagwath Chandrasekhar
<p>Former leg-spin great Bhagwath Chandrasekhar took 95 wickets in 23 Tests against England with a best of 8/79 and an average of 27.27. </p>Getty Images
4/10:Anil Kumble
<p>Leg-break genius Anil Kumble comes next with 92 wickets from 19 Tests with a best of 7/115 and an average of 30.59. </p>TNN
5/10:Ravichandran Ashwin
<p>Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has taken 88 wickets from 19 Tests with a best of 6/55 and an average of 28.59. </p>Getty Images
6/10:Bishan Singh Bedi
<p>The late Bishan Singh Bedi is next in the list with 85 scalps from 22 Tests with a best of 6/71 and an average of 29.87. </p>Getty Images
7/10:Kapil Dev
<p>India's greatest fast bowler ever Kapil Dev comes next with 85 wickets in 27 Tests with a best of 6/91 and an average of 37.34. </p>Getty Images
8/10:Stuart Broad
<p>Veteran England pacer Stuart Broad has taken 74 wickets in 24 Tests with a best of 6/25 and an average of 28.51.</p>Getty Images
9/10:Ishant Sharma
<p>Ishant Sharma comes next with 67 wickets in 23 Tests with a best of 7/74 and an average of 32.40. </p>Getty Images
10/10:Bob Willis
<p>The late Bob Willis took 62 wickets from 17 Tests with a best of 6/53 and an average of 23.24. </p>Getty Images"India's four spinners are very different to England's. They have two left-arm finger spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. They have a wrist spinner in Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the greatest spinners of all time.
"England have a solid left-arm spinner in Jack Leach and then three very inexperienced spinners after that with Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed. It will be a particular challenge for them, but the selectors see a high ceiling for them," he said.
(With PTI inputs)
