England pacer Brydon Carse is expecting the transitioning Indian team to put up a strong fight in the five-match Test series despite the recent retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, thanks to their “huge depth”. Kohli and Rohit announced their retirement from Test cricket last month, after which, the BCCI appointed Shubman Gill as the new skipper keeping the future in mind. “Look, obviously, you know, Virat and Sharma are massive losses for their batting line-up. They’ve been experienced players over a number of years and, you know, world-class batters.

“But the depth that Indian cricket have and the quality and players coming through, you know, they will, without a doubt, put up a very strong 11 and we’re ready for whatever challenge that brings,” Carse said here on Wednesday.

The series begins here from Friday.

Carse, the strapping fast bowler with a quick arm action, said their bowling attack will look to take advantage of a bit of inexperience in the Indian line-up depending on the nature of pitches.

“Yeah, look, I mean, they’re quality players. Again, you know, depending on what the surface plays like. I think any batter that you’re bowling at, you know, with a new ball or their first 20 balls is susceptible to getting out.

“So, whenever we have an opportunity at any of their top-order batters, we’ll have plans and processes in place, to obviously knock them over as quick as we can,” Carse added.

He missed the Champions Trophy earlier this year after being ruled out of the tournament due to a toe injury, but he has recovered from that in the intervening period.

England will head into the opener with one of their least experienced bowling attack in recent memory, with James Anderson retired and the pace duo of duo Jofra Archer and Mark Wood injured, leaving the likes of Carse and Chris Woakes to shoulder additional responsibility.

“I’d like to think, I can be quite adaptable, hopefully. Again, over the winter, we saw slightly different conditions and different roles used.

“There has been a little bit of conversation around the new ball. I’m sure, you know, over the next 24 hours, I’ll have more clarity over that, and it’s an opportunity that I’m relishing.” Asked if he is the sort of bowler who would ask the captain to hand him new ball, Carse answered in the affirmative.

“I mean, if that’s the discussion around, you know, this first game, I mean, yeah, of course I’ll relish to put my hand up and take that chance. And just, obviously, we’re in a new cycle now after that World Test championship.” Carse is preparing to play his first home Test after 27 wickets across five matches in Pakistan and New Zealand this winter, and the fact that will be up against a very talented lot makes the pacer excited.

“Like I said, they are one of the best teams in the world. So to have that opportunity to play against the quality of players that we’re going to play against, I think naturally as a sportsman, you know, you raise your level and you want to be as competitive as ever.

“The last couple of days, the test squad is joining up. We’ve had a couple of good days of training already and obviously something to look really forward to come Friday. You know, playing in Headingley, which is one of the best grounds in the country, I think.

“And it’s an opportunity that I’m looking forward to being a part of. And for England, it’s a start of a very important period. Five Tests against India, then the Ashes down under.” The next few months will be crucial for the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum duo as they take on India in five Tests followed by as many matches against Australia in the Ashes Down Under.

During the press conference, Carse was asked if it is feasible for him or any fast bowler to play in all of the 10 matches this summer.

“That’s probably something that we will continue to assess after each game. Like I said, there is a group of fast bowlers.

“But, from everyone’s point of view and from my own personal point of view, whether you play one Test, two Tests, three Tests in a row, however it may be, or five, you’re making sure that your body is 100% going into each game and just taking it each game as it comes.

“But I’m ready to play now and we’ll address those certain things in the time to come. I mean, this is a series where the eyes of the world will be.” 

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