All of the England spinners, with the exception of Jack Leach, lack sufficient Test cricket experience. Tom Hartley was playing his maiden Test match, and young Rehan Ahmed had just played one before the first Test match against India in Hyderabad. In spite of this, the Three Lions crossed the boundary and won the game by 28 runs to take the lead in the five-match series against the hosts.
In response to India’s selection of inexperienced spinners, England’s head coach Brendon McCullum noted that Nathan Lyon, a former player for Australia, was also called up to the national team despite playing few First Class matches. He recalled that despite the spinner’s limited first-class cricket experience, he was nevertheless able to have a big impact on international cricket.
“Remember that Nathan Lyon had only played a few first-class games and averaged forty-odd when he was first selected for Australia. News18 cited Brendon McCullum as saying, “I think this is a very relevant point.
Of course, when it comes to guys you think are good enough and who you think will fit the circumstances,. You have to support your decisions,” he continued.
The former captain of New Zealand, however, did not rule out playing all four spinners in the second Test in Vizag. Following his inclusion in the team, England may play Shoaib Bashir in the second Test of the five-match series if conditions suit the spinners. Bashir missed the first test due to visa issues.
Sometimes your choices require a small amount of bravery. Brendon McCullum
In the first inning, Hartley, making his debut, gave up more than 130 runs, but he recovered in the second, taking seven wickets to help England win the match. Regarding the game, Brendon McCullum said they didn’t really care about Hartley’s international cricket experience since he possesses the kind of temperament and skill set to succeed under all circumstances.
There are moments when making decisions requires a small amount of bravery. It’s sort of an informed gamble if you like a character, think their skill set can work under the given circumstances, and so on, McCullum added.