Australian Legend's Big Spur For India: 'England Bowlers Aren't That Good'
India and England commence their new World Test Championship cycle with the five-match series, starting with the first game in Leeds on Friday. Manchester will host the fourth Test from July 23.
'I don't think England bowlers are that good, they have got a number of injuries and a number of retirees as well, that will be the challenge," Hayden said on 'JioHotstar'.
'The northern Test matches when it's zipping around that will be key, win that one and it could well be a series that goes India's way," he added.
Since India's last red-ball tour of England, the hosts' two most experienced bowlers, James Anderson and Stuart Broad, have retired from international cricket.
Additionally, England's bowling line-up is significantly weakened, with speedster Mark Wood ruled out of at least the first three Tests due to injury.
Fellow quick Jofra Archer will also miss the opening game, and Gus Atkinson is still recovering from a hamstring strain.
India, meanwhile, will take the field under new captain Shubman Gill, marking a new era following the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and R Ashwin.
With a youthful batting line-up and limited red-ball exposure in recent months, the visitors will face a tough challenge.
Former Indian cricketers Deep Dasgupta and Sanjay Manjrekar also backed England to win the rechristened Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy but agreed that the series would be closely contested.
'It is a young team, it has a young captain. The team is going through a transition so that will give England a slight advantage and they have the home advantage as well but it will be very close. I'd say 3-2 in favour of England," Dasgupta said.
Manjrekar echoed the sentiment: 'I think England have an edge. They are playing at home and the Indian team is going through a transitional phase so I think England might just pull this off."
(With PTI Inputs)
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