Former English skipper, Michael Atherton has showered praises on the Indian team ahead of the third Test to be played in Headlingley from August 25. Atherton said that India is good enough to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the 5-match series just because of the ferocity of intent they have showed during the series.

In his column for The Telegraph, Michael Atherton said, “The ferocity of their play, their will to win, and their skill to carry them through difficult moments, should have removed any doubts about how the Nottingham Test would have finished but for rain. To all intent and purposes, India should be 2-0 up.”

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The first Test at Trent Bridge in Nottingham ended in a draw after the rain played a spoil sport on the final day. India needed 154 runs to win the first Test on the fifth day. In the second Test at Lord’s, India made a remarkable comeback on the final day to register a dominating win by 151 runs.

Elaborating the same, Michael Atherton said, “Over two matches, England have competed for long periods, and this without some serious cricketers – Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Chris Woakes absent for two Tests and Stuart Broad for one. “They have the benefit of two of their greatest cricketers, in James Anderson and Joe Root, and in Test cricket, great players can make up a lot of ground for limitations elsewhere. All is not lost.”

Michael Atherton also rued the fact that lack of domestic first-class cricket is also hurting hosts badly.

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“In short term, given the injuries and lack of domestic first-class cricket to provide alternatives, there is not a great deal to be done,” the former English skipper elaborated. .