"A lot of Indian fans are waiting to see Bazball and put it to bed" - Nasser Hussain on England's challenge to maintain aggressive approach in India 

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has outlined the challenges Ben Stokes and company will have with their 'Bazball' approach in the upcoming five-match Test series in India.

England are the last team to have won a bilateral series in India but have only one win in their last nine games in the country. The pitches prepared in India have been a subject of intense debate, and the surfaces for the upcoming series are expected to be conducive to spin.

England had claimed a surprise 1-0 lead in the four-match series in 2021, but India bounced back on turning surfaces in Chennai and Ahmedabad to eventually win the series 3-1.

"India are waiting. There has been a lot of talk about Indian cricket, and there has been a lot of talk about Bazball, and the two of them are just about to meet. A lot of Indian fans are waiting to see Bazball and put it to bed," Nasser Hussain said on Sky Sports Cricket

"If the Indian management asked for good pitches that spin, then I think their spinners and batters will out-spin and out-bat ours. If they ask for pitches that are a bit of lottery, and it turns huge, then I think it brings England's spinners into it as well," Hussain added

Unlike last time, England have gone spin-heavy for the upcoming series. Four frontline spinners have been included in the travelling contingent, with two of them being uncapped, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir.

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"Don't expect what we saw last time where batters are just pushing and prodding" - Nasser Hussain

A lot has changed since England's last red-ball tour of India. Joe Root has moved on from captaincy, while Stuart Broad has retired. Moreover, there has been a drastic shift in the mindset of the squad under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

Root is undoubtedly one of England's finest players of spin. He scored a memorable double hundred in the win in Chennai in 2021. Ahead of the upcoming tour, he remains the focal point for England, as Hussain observed:

"If it spins, then Root becomes England's most important player. Duckett as well,, also Stokes is a magnificent player of spin and their mindset as well. As we saw in Pakistan, where different pitches, did not spin much at all. Low, slow, and they get 500 in a day or whatever. So, don't expect what we saw last time where batters are just pushing and prodding.

"I talked to Swanny about the balance last week. We have seen Cook getting 190-odd in India, and Pietersen scoring 180-odd in India. Two completely different, but hugely successful, so still high risk is high risk," Hussain concluded

The first Test between India and England begins on January 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.