Skip to content

England fast bowler Steven Finn set to miss first Test against India

Image: Steven Finn: Set to miss first Test because of injury

England fast bowler Steven Finn looks certain to miss this week's first Test with India because of a thigh injury.

Latest Cricket Stories

England go into the Test series determined to prove their doubters wrong; not since David Gower's team of 1984-5 have England won a series in India. England, however, can point to a more recent statistic - their success in ending a near equally extensive record of failure in Australia - to win the Ashes down under two winters ago. Jonathan Trott believes the tourists can record an unlikely triumph and said: "I was told we haven't won in India for 27 years ... so it's pretty similar to Australia. "This team has achieved things in the past, and I'd like to think we can do it here - we certainly believe we can." Actions, however, will speak louder than any words. "We can't sit around talking about it; we've got to go out into the middle and do it on the field - so I hope our results and actions will see people's judgments changing," added Trott, who believes he has relevant experience. He was part of the one-day international team which lost 5-0 here a year ago, but is confident much has been learned since then about what is required. "I've played one-day cricket in India before, and you get a feel for it in that and how the atmosphere is going to be. "It's probably similar to walking out at Melbourne with 90,000 Australians wanting you to do badly. It's pretty similar here, I think. "You need big totals out here, and innings last for a long time," said Trott. "So you've got to be able to bat long. "That's going to be our challenge as batsmen - bat as long as you can and get as big a total as possible."

Around Sky