27 July,2011 08:17 AM IST | | Debasish Datta
Boycott is certain England will win in Nottingham to displace India from the number one test ranking
Former England captain Geoffrey Boycott reckons the hosts will close out the series 2-0 at Trent Bridge and displace India as the world's no 1 Test side. Boycott has ruled out the possibility of an Indian fightback due to Zaheer Khan's hamstring injury.
India captain MS Dhoni (right) walks back to the pavilion on the third day
of the Lord's Test. PIC/Getty Images
The left-armer, who bowled India to a famous win at Nottingham four years ago, is most likely to sit out of the second Test. "With Zaheer most likely to skip the Test at Nottingham, India would struggle to square the series. There will be a lot of life in that surface and England should make it 2-0 because the last two Tests will be played at Birmingham, and The Oval, respectively. Both those surfaces are docile, excellent batting strips," Boycott told MiD DAY yesterday.
"England should capitalise on the liveliness of the Nottingham pitch," added Boycott.u00a0
The legendary batsman reminded India that England were just one win away from taking 2-0 lead (margin they need to dislodge India) and the no 1 Test ranking. "The victory at Lord's has given them a lot of energy. They are just one Test away from scaling the summit of world cricket. They are hungry and motivated. I am confident that they will provide another blow to the Indians and close out the series," said the Yorkshireman.
Walking wounded
Boycott blasted decisions of the Indian team management since their arrival in the UK. "India have already burned their fingers by making Zaheer play in the Lord's Test. Now, they should not risk him. I am 66-plus and have an idea about this (hamstring) injury.u00a0 It is going to takeu00a0 some time to heal. If they (the management) don't take it seriously, it might affect his (Zaheer's) career in the long run," he warned.
However, Boycott conceded that Zaheer's presence would have made a difference in the last few days of the first Test: "If he was around, England wouldn't have dominated proceedings."
