New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) India all-rounder Shardul Thakur believes that the touring Indian squad has the potential to win the upcoming five-match Test series against England starting in Leeds from Friday.

Shardul was part of India’s squad that toured England last time in 2021-22. India were 2-1 up in the five-Test series before the final Test of the series was rescheduled to next year due to Covid-19. India lost the final Test – in the absence of the regular captain Rohit Sharma – as England levelled the series 2-2.

With Rohit and Virat Kohli moving away from red-ball cricket, the young Indian squad under the leadership of new skipper Shubman Gill will have to do the improbable in the English conditions.

“I think it’s very exciting to play in this part of the world where you face different challenges. The first one, of course, is whether. Sometimes it’s cloudy, sometimes it’s bright, sunny, and as a player, you need to make adjustments to your game, whether you’re batting or bowling,” the pace-bowling all-rounder said in a video posted on BCCI’s social media accounts.

“It’s good to have that fresh energy in the team, a few youngsters coming up, and new talents are always exciting. Now that the England team is also playing a different kind of cricket. You know, like to surprise them also that we are here to put up a show, and it’s always great to win away series, away from home. And if we could achieve this feat, it would be massive for the entire nation,” he added.

Recalling India’s last Test tour of England, Shardul said it was “one of the fondest memories” of his. He featured in the three Tests of the series and bagged eight wickets. He also scored two half-centuries in the fourth Test of the series.

“I think the 2021 series, where we won a couple of games. The first one also we could have won, but unfortunately, it rained on the last day and we couldn’t chase down the total. But then we won in Lord’s, then we won in The Oval, and then we came back for the fifth Test next year. The series was level, but that was one of the fondest memories of mine, one of the best Test series that I have been part of,” he recalled.

India are aiming to win a Test series in England for the first time since 2007. The five-match Test series in England will be India’s first assignment in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle.

–IANS

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