3rd Test: Ashish Nehra says England pacers 'can do big damage'

Ashish Nehra. Pic/AFP

Former cricketer Ashish Nehra said that India should be careful when facing England's pacers as they have the ability to do "big damage". "Yes, all three fast bowlers (James Anderson, Jofra Archer & Stuart Broad). You just named two really experienced fast bowlers. One, according to me, the most skilful bowler going around right now - Jofra Archer. These three guys, plus you have Chris Woakes; Olly Stone was looking good, then you have guys like Mark Wood who is back. So, there's no shortage of pace battery, when it comes to the England team," Nehra said on Star Sports show CRICKET CONNECTED.

"But the main question is, yes, the Pink Ball swings also under lights. What kind of a wicket there will be? If the wicket is useful for fast bowling or the wicket is conducive for fast bowling, then these guys can do big damage, but that only time will tell. The kind of talent they have, if there's anything in the wicket, they will be really good. Even if there's not too much help from the wicket, we have seen what James Anderson can do (in the first Test). Stuart Broad can bowl really long spells and trouble the batsman. He didn't have that good a Test match, the first one which he played, but overall, there's no shortage of talent, firepower when it comes to fast bowling. So, India should be careful, even on a wicket which might not be useful or helpful for fast bowling," he added.

High on confidence after thrashing England in the second Test in Chennai, the Virat Kohli-led Indian team will look to keep the winning momentum going when they take the field in the pink-ball Test, set to begin on Wednesday. A win will take them one step closer to a spot in the final of the maiden World Test Championship.

India pacer Ishant Sharma will achieve a major milestone of 100 Tests when he will take the field for the third game against England.

Analysing Ishant's performance, Nehra said: "Not only any Indian fast bowler, but any fast bowler playing 100 Test matches is a big achievement. When people talk about Ishant Sharma's length, yes, he has altered his length, which is very important in Test cricket. Plus, he is the same old Ishant Sharma, the ball is coming into right-handers, which is really important for him, bowling around the stumps."

"Earlier, he used to bowl only over the stumps, but still the ball was not going away nicely against left-handers or you can say when right-handers are batting coming in nicely. From the last 18 to 24 months, even around the stumps, forget over the stumps, the ball is going away nicely to the left-handed batsmen. This shows that he is thinking about his game, looking to add new things, and the results have gone in his favour. It's a great thing for India," he added.

India needs to win the ongoing series by at least a margin of 2-1 to make the finals of the WTC, but if the side loses another game, Kohli and boys are out of the WTC contention. On the other hand, England has to win both the remaining matches to qualify for the WTC finals and if the series ends in a 1-1 or 2-2 draw, then Australia would make the finals of the WTC.

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