For both India and England, the 2023 World Cup ended in very different fashions, but ultimately both teams were left disppointed. England's defense of the trophy ended in a group stage exit, while India won 10 matches in a row to reach the final, but stumbled in the summit clash to leave empty-handed.
Two months on from the final, India prepare to host England in a 5-match Test series starting on January 25. Since the World Cup, the visitors have played a white-ball series in West Indies, while India have taken on Australia, South Africa and Afghanistan in three different bilateral series.
All eyes will be on the touring side's approach, with many fans waiting with bated breath to see whether England's aggressive 'Bazball' approach will enable them to become the first visiting team in over 11 years to win a Test series in India.
Monty Panesar urges Ben Stokes and England to play on the ego of Kohli, Sharma
Ahead of the series, former England spinner Monty Panesar appeared on TalkSport to preview the face-off, alongside former team-mate Steve Harmison. He suggested that England should look to unsettle India mentally as well, saying,
I think what England need to do is get Rohit Sharma out early. If they keep doing that consistently, I think it'll put pressure on the Indian batting line-up. And then the likes of Ben Stokes getting in the face of Virat Kohli, reminding the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, "What happened when you got to the final of the World Cup? You choked, didn't you. We got to the final, we won [in 2019]. Here come the chokers."
He's got to get in the psyche. He's got to be like that, play onto their egos and they think, "Hey what's Ben Stokes doing coming to India, telling us how to play cricket?" And then once you start playing with their egos, you start to see a different reaction. They start coming after the spinners, and I think that's how Stokes should play these matches.
Panesar was part of the last team to defeat India in India, when England won 2-1 in the 2012/13 tour of the country. He finished second in the wicket-takers list with 17 scalps as off-spinner Graeme Swann picked up 20 wickets, and opener Alastair Cook scored 562 runs.
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