India's England tour: Pressure will be on MS Dhoni & Co, says David Lloyd

David Lloyd, former England player and coach, says the current series could end in a 1-1 stalemate.

How do you rate the current Indian team?
India are an excellent team, especially at home. If they beat England away, then I will rate them as the undisputed champions of Test cricket.

Over the last 18 months, India have managed to win the big games - vs SA in Durban, vs Australia in Mohali, vs SA in Kolkata, vs SL in Colombo - to retain the No 1 ranking. Do you think they will be able to survive the English attack in English conditions?
England have a good attack in helpful conditions but they struggle when there is nothing off the pitch or in the conditions.

Do you agree that India are the deserving No 1 team?
I have never understood the ‘rankings’. I just feel that India and England are the two best teams in the world at present.

How much importance do you give to India’s none-too-impressive outing against Somerset?
Somerset was just a run out. You have to find your feet and get a bit of practice. Great teams produce results when it matters.

Do you think India will be able to acclimatise to the conditions in the short time they had before the first Test?
It all depends on the weather. There has been a lot of rain recently and if that continues, it will be uncomfortable for them. The pitches will have moisture and there will be movement in the air. But England have no say at all in the pitches they will play on.

How much will England gain from the absence of (Virender) Sehwag?
Sehwag has never been a force in England. There are far better players in the Indian team like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. So, the conditions should not be a worry for them.

Rahul Dravid’s recent form has been suspect. Is there an opening for England?
Dravid is a real quality player and suited to Test match cricket in England. I expect him to score heavily.

After the Ashes high, don’t you think the pressure will be on England to win the series?
England have played Sri Lanka since then and dominated a ‘wet’ series. The Ashes is just a memory now. The pressure is all on India, who are ranked No 1, and everyone in India believes that whilst the rest of the world is not that fussed with the ‘rankings’.

What could be the deciding factor in the series?
The conditions and captaincy will be the deciding factors. This could be a real stalemate. The pace of the game will be very slow with teams bowling at about 13 overs per hour and there could be rain around.

How do you rate Sachin Tendulkar’s impending milestone of 100th international century?
Tendulkar is a modern great with a wonderful appetite and respect for the game of cricket. I see no reason why he cannot carry on at this high standard for at least 10 more years. He is a wonderful ambassador and a true gentleman. He is bound to score a century at Lord’s!

So finally, what is your prediction for the series?
Both teams will need to seize the moment, if and when it occurs. I think the captaincy factor will be vital. It may be the luck of the toss or a great performance with the ball. Harbhajan Singh is a massive player for India and (James) Anderson for England. The result could be a 1-1 draw.