Jack Leach warns Indian batsmen of replicating Ashley Giles' 2001 'negative line' tactic

With the Inda vs England series inching closer, players from both sides are ensuring to leave no stones unturned in their preparations for the crucial Test matches. The wickets in India will be favourable to the spin bowlers and they are likely to dominate the contest between bat and ball. England's left-arm orthodox spinner Jack Leach, recently revealed that he has devised several plans to get the better of the Indian batters. 

India vs England: Jack Leach threatens to use the 'negative line' tactic against Indian batsmen 

Former England spinner Ashley Giles was the one who resorted to the aforementioned tactic in the back in the 2001-02 series in India. The left-arm bowler repeatedly bowled outside the leg stump from over the wicket to Sachin Tendulkar, in an attempt to stop him from scoring runs quickly. The ploy seemed to reap benefits for the English bowler, as he became the first and only bowler to stump Tendulkar in Test match cricket, dismissing him for 90 in Bengaluru.

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In his conversation with Sky Sports, Jack Leach revealed how he has discussed the ploy with Ashley Giles. However, he reckoned that he would be more inclined to bowl around the wicket, as compared to Giles, who bowled over the wicket. He assured that he would look to stick to his strengths, but also hinted that he could take a leaf out of Giles' book depending on the situation of the match. 

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The 29-year-old lauded Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar for their exceptional performances in India during England's 2012 tour. The player stated that he is keen to learn from the two spinners, but he is not keen on making changes to his own game. Jack Leach along with Dom Bess and Moeen Ali will be the key players for the visitors on the spin-friendly Indian wickets. 

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India vs England Test series: Joe Root vs Virat Kohli

The two cricketing giants will battle it out in four Test matches in the upcoming series. India will host their first international series after the COVID-19 enforced break. The first two fixtures will be played in Chennai at the M. A. Chidambaram, whereas the refurbished Sardar Patel Stadium of Ahmedabad will host the final two Test matches. The two teams will then play five T20I games at Ahmedabad itself before moving to Pune for three ODI encounters. 

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India vs England: Indian players resume training in Chennai 

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