England's struggle will continue in India: Hoggard

CHENNAI: Former England pacer Matthew Hoggard enjoyed a good run in Tests in India, taking 22 scalps from six Tests at an average of 23.31. Hoggard, who featured in 67 Tests for England and was part of the 2005 Ashes winning side, chatted with TOI on what it takes to succeed on Indian wickets, on the role spin consultant Saqlain Mushtaq could play and more. Excerpts:
With England scheduled to tour India next, how do you assess the team's chances?
It's going to be a very difficult tour for Cookie's side.We did very well on the subcontinent last time round and India will want payback. Add to that the conditions and our experience in Bangladesh and England are in for a stern test, particularly in terms of facing up to some high quality spin bowling, so we'll need to make significant improvements with both bat and ball. India deserve their place at the top of the Test rankings. I fear England's struggles will continue.
Will England's loss in Mirpur have a psychological impact?
I don't think there's any reason to think a poor result in Bangladesh - that ultimately came down to a disastrous single session - automatically means the players will suffer from a sense of inferiority. As Trevor Bayliss has said, English cricketers don't experience these type of pitches very often, but most of our batters managed to clock up respectable scores in the two Tests.
You toured here in 2001 and 2006. What preparations did you make before embarking on those tours?
First and foremost, it's about being physically fit. You need to be up to the task and be physically able to bowl for long periods in unfamiliar heat. But mentally, as well, you need to be patient. Long spells of bowling that offer little reward can be incredibly frustrating, so you have to remember that drying up the runs is an important part of Test cricket, and that a batter's next mistake could be just around the corner. The balls tend, at least in my experience, to deteriorate quite quickly in the conditions, so it helped me to practise with older balls and get them moving around.
With James Anderson ruled out of the first half of the series and the inexperience of the spin attack, how do you see Saqlain Mushtaq's role as bowling consultant?
England are always going to miss Anderson as he's been superb for us for a very long time. Whether or not Jimmy's playing, Saqlain Mushtaq is a fantastic resource for any Test bowler. Our bowling attack should mine his knowledge and take full advantage of his presence on the tour. But in the heat of the battle, the coach can't bowl any of the balls himself. That responsibility sits on the shoulders of the players.
Among the current crop of Indian pacers, who has impressed you the most and why?
I like Mohammed Shami. He moves it both ways, which always makes a bowler a threat, and he does so at decent pace. He's a very skilful bowler and our batters will have to be wary of him. Beyond Shami, Umesh Yadav has raw pace that excites me. He has ability to makes things happen, as he showed at the last World Cup. He shares many of the same qualities as Varun Aaron, going past the 90mph mark with ease and really putting the cat among the pigeons.
As one of the few players to have spoken out on depression, how would you go about staying mentally strong in a series as demanding as the one against India?
There's an important distinction to be made between being mentally tough on the cricket pitch and keeping your head right off it. During the game itself, you need to focus on the plans you've made as an individual and as a team. We all make mistakes, bowling a loose one or whatever, but you mustn't dwell on it or let the last ball affect your next one. You have to be resilient and deal with the conditions. In India as a bowler, patience is vital. The heat can be very energy-sapping and the slow pitches can punish you, but you have to stay confident and carry out your plans. Off the pitch, of course, there's a lot of down time and a lot of waiting around. Your teammates are very important, as are the coaching staff, but keeping in touch with home is arguably the most important thing for me.
In this English line-up, who is the one player England will bank on to deliver against India?
I don't think England's fate will boil down to the contribution of one player - everyone will need to chip in. Obviously, there are players who take responsibility and the other players will look to them. Our two biggest batsmen are prime examples and must stand up to be counted. Alastair Cook needs to put in a few captain's innings and build a platform for us to register some big totals. Joe Root is arguably our best player of spin and is every bit as tough as Cookie when the chips are down. Ben Stokes is going to be important with the bat and ball. He's the kind of talisman we haven't perhaps seen since Freddie Flintoff and, if he has a good series, things often look good for England. I'd like to see Moeen Ali continue to progress as a bowler, but there is a question mark over our spinners.