Former England cricketer Graeme Swann feels the next Test series against India will serve as a prelude to the Ashes for England. The home team will play India in a five-match Test series, which begins on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds.
Swann recognised that India has overpowered England in prior matches, but he believes England will crush them at home this time. England finished seventh in the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC), winning 11 of 22 matches.
“To be honest, it’s the ideal preparation for the Ashes. India is a massive series. We’ve travelled to India two or three times already and have been comprehensively outplayed. So we need to beat India on our own turf. “We need to play well,” Swann stated.
Graeme Swann acknowledged that the India series will provide England’s inexperienced bowling unit a good opportunity to find their rhythm.
He mentioned the absence of Indian stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and suggested that England take advantage of the circumstances and aim for a 4-1 series triumph, or at the very least a 3-2 victory.
“They will not have Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, two true batting superstars. So, without that, they have some fantastic players coming in, but we have bowlers that take advantage of our conditions and bowl exceptionally well. I believe England must win this series, and I believe they should do it convincingly. I’d prefer 4-1, but 3-2 is a stretch, but I really hope we do well and gain confidence heading into the Ashes,” Swann said.
England last won the Ashes with a 3-2 series win at home in 2015, and they have not won a single Test match in Australia since 2011.
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