“We won’t be afraid to play all spinners” Brendon McCullum talks on England’s plan ahead 2nd Test

England, under the leadership of Ben Stokes, made a remarkable start to the ongoing five-game Test series against India by securing a victory at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.

Their strategic shift towards spin dominance, evident in the deployment of three spinners alongside a lone fast bowler, Mark Wood, proved effective on the turning wicket.

Brendon McCullum, the Test head coach, expressed openness to persist with this approach, even considering the inclusion of another spinner, Shoaib Bashir, for the upcoming match in Vizag.

McCullum (on SENZ Radio) said “He (Bashir) was obviously with us in the camp in Abu Dhabi and he really impressed with his skill sets. He fits in the group. He, again, like Tom Hartley, has little first-class experience, but we thought his skill could help us in here.”

“If the wickets continue to spin as much as what we saw in the first Test as the series goes on, we won’t be afraid to play all spinners or a balance of what we’ve got.”