Test Match Special - ‘England have the best spinners in the World Cup’ - Vaughan

Episode Date: March 3, 2026

Henry Moeran is alongside Michael Vaughan and Prakash Wakankar at a Holi celebration to look ahead to England’s T20 World Cup semi-final against India in Mumbai. Plus, Sam Curran gives his thoughts ahead of the match at the Wankhede Stadium.

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I'm happy holy as well. It is the Indian Festival welcoming spring. You might be able to hear some of the festivities in the background as we sit here on a warm morning just a couple of days out from the T20 World Cup semi-final. Will it be England? Will it be India? Heading to the semi-final to join either South Africa or New Zealand. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live.

Well, sitting with me in the sunshine as the music plays and the festivities take place, Michael Vaughn, the former England captain and also Prakash Wakanka. It is a very colourful scene. I have to say, as we went to breakfast this morning, Michael and I were daubed in paint powder, Prakash. You arrived a little late on parade for breakfast, so dare I say it, Michael and I are looking a little holier than vow. Tell us, Tell us what Holy is about first and four votes. Well, you know, this festival is actually, as you said, it marks the change of season primarily.

But there are two very interesting and different legends associated with it. One is on the previous night, that's last night, in the north of India and the north central part of India, you would have had a fire being burned with old things, wood, but all the old stuff that you want to throw away. So it's about rejuvenation, it's about burning all the evil, getting rid of all negativity, all of that stuff. And in that part of the country, that fire then settles. And in the morning, some of the ash is taken as sort of an offering, if you will,

mixed along with all the other color and things that are used for the play, and then people play with it. And now, of course, because of Bollywood, even in parts of southern India, where Holi was never really that big, It's become a festival, it's like everything else. I mean, you know, anything that Bollywood does becomes national, maybe even arguably global. So there's a huge amount of attraction to Holi for people both within India and elsewhere, and people just have a great time. The traditional drink, by the way, and this will interest you, is a type of, well, I don't want to use the word, but it's a type of thing that helps you get a little bit high.

It's rolled into a little ball, and in almond-infused milk, it's kept overnight and then you have copious quantities of it during holy so that you just you know you're in a state of semi-sumciousness if you want to call it that and so it goes from just the pure flowers at one end which is purest to all the way where you have a certain amount of you know heavy heads if you will well there you go for me i feel educated well i feel like i've been let down because i've not had one of those during that it's it's called pan you know we should I'm looking over at the celebrations and just I'm looking to see where the drinks are but it's it's such a lovely vibe isn't it this is a very boche very organized very sensible version of it

like what Henry hasn't let on to is that my colourful place came from ensuing breakfast where I was greeted by three lovely young ladies putting all the colour on my face Henry actually got his doing his park run this morning I went on a holy park run for Oh you did, well, we did. Well, you did. And there was a group of people, and they were just finished. They were having some snacks, samosas and things. And they absolutely bombarded me with the paint powder.

So there we go. So I tried to wash it off without much success. But yeah, what a place, what an occasion. And we build up to what should be an incredible couple of semifinals. I mean, we'll get on to England against India at the Wancadena shortly. But South Africa against New Zealand, Michael, South Africa have been not. Brilliant, seven out of seven. Yeah, I mean, they're a high quality side.

They obviously got to the final in the Caribbean. They were close to beating in during that final in Barbados. Didn't quite get over the line, but they look ready. I think the World Test Championship final victory is just given their cricket more. What's a bit more? What's happening here, Pratt? It seems to be more noise. What's going on there?

Oh, they're now throwing flowers in colour from the balcony upstairs. Oh, nice, too. That's the way. and the parties are often running and will continue no doubt throughout the day but the afghan side to me they look ready you know whether they'll do enough to win two games to win the trophy but i do think that world test championship final victory at lords against australia it's just giving them that boost they've got the first major trophy um you know you look back to india when they didn't quite get over the line in the 50 over world cup here in india they played

the pure game right till the final had one blit and didn't quite get the trophy and that's the only fear I think for South Africa, is that in C-20 cricket, you're only really, what, three or four, five overs away from having a poor night, but also three or four, five overs away from having a good night. It's that close to 20 cricket. I would say that New Zealand will have to play

a little bit better than the Didergate, England, but completely different pitch. I looked at the game, India versus the West Indies at Calcutta just a couple of nights ago, and I think the toss was hugely important. I think chasing clearly is a great, option and it could come down so who wins the softs and chase it could win that game. Yeah, it's going to be fascinating and the winner will play England or India.

Prakash, come on. We've had a couple of days to digest what we saw in that game against the West Indies in Kolkata. We've made the journey Ertahir in Mumbai. I mean, what's the feeling about this game on Thursday? Enri, we've had this conversation so many times. My answer is going to be very predictable. You know, the reality is can India win it? Yes. What does the record say? There's nothing between England and India in T20 World Cups and in overall T20. So one match separates the two teams in terms of wins and losses. Both places, today India just with their nose in front with one game and therefore it's going to be an absolutely brilliant game in my view. I worry about 1987 way back when Gooch

swept us out of the World Cup, that is the 50 over World Cup. But of course the reality is also that playing at the One Carrier Stadium, so many of these England players, Josh Butler in particular, who's not been in good form, but this could be the day when he finds that form and that small ground. They know the conditions well, they know all the teams know each other very well because of all the IPL cricket they play. So I think there's going to be no mystery in it. In Mumbai, the dew can be a factor, but at this time of year,

I'm hoping it won't be as much. And therefore, I think it will be a very, very close game. It just comes down to, like Michael said, Are there going to be a couple of big overs here, a couple of bad overs there, and that will decide who goes through? Michael, the just butler question, England will play him. There's no doubt about that, but his form has been wretched. Yeah, I mean, you look at his record over the last four ICC events. I think it's now 26 innings and just 150, and that 50 came against the USA.

You know, a return of those numbers for such a great player is remarkable, really. But the one thing I say about Josh Butler is a big game player. And if you were ever going to back a player to come back into form, there's two things. I mean, big game players, so he'll have that mindset of knowing that he's done it in big games before. And also the Wang Cady's been a good ground for him. You know, he's had some great scores here, whether it's for England or in the IPL. So he's going on to a piece that should suit his style of play.

I've watched him back closely. I just think he's playing too technical. I can see that he's looking at his stance. And clearly, you always look at your technique when you're not kind of feeling as good as, you know, you have done but you know I always think Joss is better when he's just a hand eye player you know just stare at the ball right in the middle of the ball and just react to the deliveries and the shots say he hasn't been playing so far in the World Cup and it's probably because of the pitches in Sri Lanka are the ramp

shots and I think when when Joss retires whenever that may be in a few years time I think if you saw you know what is the Joss Butler shot we'll all go play the scoops and the ramps I think this pitch will suit that shot you know and I think if there's ever a ground where he can bring out a ramp or too early to the seamers and get himself off and running because the one thing I say about that shot is to play that shot you have to stare at the ball right onto the middle of the bat so that means he's really studying the ball onto the middle of the bat and I always look at jobs and it when he's playing well he brings those shots out early

he gets fielders behind the wicket and then it opens up more opportunity down the ground from what I've seen so far he's been thinking about down the ground first and behind the wicket second I think he's a better player when he thinks behind the wicket first and then down the ground because it opens up more having used a success so a big big game for Joss but I think it's been proven in this World Cup that it's almost been a walkout where the opening partnerships for all teams have not been as important in the past because most teams are packing the batting till number eight so the opening partners have all been

sent out to go ultra aggressive to try and get off to a flyer and lose a couple of wickets they generally have an insurance policy and then they have more debts to the batting with players that can come in at eight or nine and strike so I wouldn't be saying that England desperately need an opening. It would be helpful to get an opening stand, obviously, but it won't be the necessarily difference between winning and losing,

because they've won so many games in this World Cup without that opening partnership flying. But you think to win a semi and a final, and someone like Butler or Salt will have to have at least one or two innings between them in the next two games, you would think. Prakash, I wonder if India are going to be more worried about Will Jax, who's the leading middle-order run

scorer in the tournament. And as Michael says, his teams down the order actually that have been doing the damage, Will Jackson scored 191 runs in the middle order across seven matches at a strike rate of 180 or so. Four player of the match awards were ready for the performance he's had. And I think yesterday he said something really,

very lovely, I enjoyed reading it in the paper of this money. He said if I don't have to do anything in the semifinal, that'll be perfect, because that means, you know, we won the game. He has been remarkable. And I think you, like Michael said, so many of these performances come around 7-8-6-7-8-9, where the fag end of the batting innings have suddenly been a boost. And of course, Jack's with his bowling.

He's also bringing stuff in. Who knows? Maybe if India still play with two left-handed in the top three, maybe he's got a job to do up front as well. Who knows? What would India want in terms of England's batting line? Would they want to see Butler in the side? Oh, yeah. I think they'd be wary of Butler.

You know, absolutely. I mean, you know, I think Indian players have seen enough of Butler to realize that he can have a moment. He's only 10 or 12 balls of finding a little bit of rhythm and a little bit of form, a few boundaries. And we've seen Butler so many times, he can get you an 80 off 30, 35 balls, which can win you a game of cricket. So, yeah, they'll be wary of Josh Bull. I look at India and think, you know, what will they go with their bowling attack? Because someone like Kooldeep Yadav has had so much success against England in the past, and he hasn't played yet. will they think of playing Kaldiv Yarav and potentially dropping a Shivandubi,

who's their insurance policy down the back end and playing one extra bowler. Funny, I mean, and I don't think it's happened too many times, practice in the history of England versus India, but I think England have got a better spin-a-tap than India. Chakrabart has been got in this World Cup. Axa Patel is a very consistent left-arm spinner, but endorsing Rashid and Will Jax, you would say that that trio has been the best trio in the tournament

in terms of spin and I'm very interested in the pitchers at the Wang K. They generally is a good piece but the pitch against the West Indies where England loss you know the West Indus spin has caused a bit of damage to the England batts so it's it's kind of a funny situation that we find out so that England batting you would want to target them with spin but India got the kind of the temptation or the bravery to play a cool it Yadha for either one of their batters or dare I say it was some like Arsdip Singh it'd be intriguing to for me at the toss to find out what the combination. England I know will probably bring in Jamie

Everton for Rehan Ahmed here at the Wanker. Even though Rehom did so well in the last game, I think they'll go back to Essema on this kind of service but it's more the debate of what India will go with rather than what England will go with. I think England's kind of in the bank. Well India I still think there's a debate of whether Kool-Die plays or not. We've all seen the Indian coach, isn't it? If he could have his way he'd have 11 battered in the team you feel because he just wants to pack the batting all the way down and as it is with Bumra, Arshdeep and Varun that the bottom three aren't really going to do much with the bat if they're ever asked to do.

So I suspect that like you're saying, Wani, is going to be a toss-up between, are they going to go with just Bumra and Hadik in terms of scene and then God help India if Shivam Dubei has to bowl much. But, you know, we'll have to wait and see. I can't see Kuldi playing much as I would love to see him play. It's the big mystery. We talked about it in the test series all the way through in England. England seemed to not like to see him play,

and India seemed to oblige every time. I don't see it very different in the semifinal either. I would play Cordy Gatab against England. I know. I really will. Maybe you've got to give Gauten a call. I send guys a number. But I just think he's a wonderful baller who has had so much success against England in the past in the semi-final.

Surely he'd want someone that could damage. You know, you look at Harry Brook who, It is the major threat for India. He's in fantastic form. And that moved to number three. Many were crying out for him to face more balls. Why he was wasted and leaving himself at number five was beyond me. But now he's at number three.

He's the one player that I look at there for. He's got genius in him. That innings that we saw against Pakistan was spectacular. He can win a game on his own. He'll want to score. He'll want to play in the way that he's telling his teams to play, teams of play which is this fearless approach you know go out there and really take the opposition on at number three he can dictate that and he can lead the

way for the rest of the players that this is the way that I want you to play under pressure in a big semi-final his first few deliverers are going to be intriguing because if he can come out and play one or two of those I mean that shot like he flicked over mid mid-wicket against it was it off Matt Henry was absolutely a joke of a shot if he can get a couple of shots away particularly against someone like Jasbit Bumra that is going to be a big play in the semi-final. Well, of course, it is the size that have won the last two editions of this tournament,

with India winning in the Caribbean, 24, England winning in 2022, beating India, comprehensively 10 wickets in Adelaide in the semi-final. And England's player of the tournament, that year was Sam Curen. In just a moment, we'll be hearing from the England all-rounder. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Right then, a couple of days out from the T20 World Cup semi-final involving India and England here in Mumbai. Let's hear from the England all-rounder Sam Coren.

He's been chatting to Matt Henry from BBC Sport. Sam, we're two days out from a World Cup semi-final against India in Mumbai. See, by the smile on your face? What are the feelings? Is that excitement? Is it nerves? What do you think before that? Yeah, excited.

What an opportunity to play, I guess, the hosts in their home ground. Obviously, Wanketti, a very iconic stadium. We're extremely excited. obviously a couple days training now so yeah kind of what dreams are made of really semi final world cup against india um i guess it doesn't really get that much bigger i guess it's hopefully we we turn up on the night and have a great game yeah it could be loud the team prepared for that do you talk about that sort of thing yeah it's not going to be quiet um i think it's pretty obvious that the the crowd's going to be epic and what an opportunity for us to kind of come out here

and um we've played a lot of cricket in india as well so we can expect we know what to expect from them and I guess a really good team. There'll be pressure all round, so I guess, yeah, huge opportunity and hopefully it comes good for us. Yeah, England have played in during the last two T20 World Cup semi-finals. Is that something you speak about as a team? Not massively, I don't think.

Obviously, it's a new tournament. We've come, obviously, a different journey this World Cup, a couple of, I guess, going to Sri Lanka and a bit in India as well. So we've managed to win games from scenarios that we probably shouldn't, and there's also games that we've just had really good, everyone just chipping in. So hopefully we can come with that semi-final, that almost perfect game when we need to. And I guess, yeah, we've had success against India. They've had success

against us as well. So it should be a cracking game. Yeah, that 2020 semi-final, you'd be India by 10 wickets in Adelaide. You'd led in a better England performance than that? Well, I guess if we're searching for a perfect game, I guess that's something we could hopefully model our game on. Obviously that time when we chased down, I think it was 180-od. In Adelaide, was great memories. I guess then obviously they beat us in the West Indies so yeah I guess we take confidence we've been playing really good cricket and finding ways to win and hopefully I think everyone's been I guess saying that we haven't played our perfect game and what an opportunity to to do that on Thursday night. What are your memories of that night in Adelaide?

Just winning by 10 wickets to be honest I think we we obviously were bowling first and the way Josh and Hales he played was was amazing and we took huge confidence. confidence from that and they end up winning the tournaments. So this T20 cricket, we know come Thursday night, it just takes a couple guys in a strong fielding performance, couple guys with the ball, couple guys with the bat, and we know what we're capable of, so that's why we're extremely excited.

And like I said, when you're a young kid and you think of where do you want to play, it's probably in a stadium like this against India in front of the world. So what a great time to be involved in this team, and fingers crossed, it's our evening. Yeah, as you've said, you've played in India a lot, you've played against Endure a lot. What are the keys to beating Indyreux?

beating India in India. I guess in 2020 cricket, it's obviously, I guess, staying nice and calm. We know the crowd's going to be huge. The pressure is going to be there for both teams. I think we both know how we play. So it's kind of like we play a lot with the Indian guys in the IPL. They play with us. So I guess that's a huge opportunity within South.

They've obviously had a similar, or a different journey to the World Cup semifinal than us. We played in Sri Lanka and I guess surfaced a little bit different. we've also played here. So whatever surfers gets thrown at us, hopefully we, I feel like we are very, we've been adapting extremely well in terms of what the conditions are. And I think against Indy, you've got to adapt pretty well.

We know they're a very strong side. So, but on the night, and I guess with our plans and the way we're going to be nice and nice and positive, and I guess hopefully it's enough to beat them. And they will also have their plans against us. So I think two huge teams and two, a lot of good T20 players in those sides. So yeah, like I said, it's just a lot of excitement in our group.

Does it matter or is it a worry that you've been in Sri Lanka, India, I've been a Sri Lanka once in this tournament, but I've had a good run in India now. Is that a concern? I think it's a positive. I think like the surfaces we've played on have been so different, who played on some really good ones, some turners, some bit of Jew, no Jew. So I think we've covered most of our kind of challenges

and kind of everyone's been saying we haven't played that perfect game. And I think the main thing we all care about is that we've managed to win and we're in a semi-final, three from three, and that's super eight. So we're very high on confidence. And I guess it's semi-final cricket. It's kind of, there's no going back now. It's kind of, we turn up on the night and give it everything, and hopefully it's enough.

Yeah, and you've mentioned all those close finishes you come through. Do our sense that you take confidence from that rather than being concerns that you'd let it get that close? Yeah, I think winning is a habit in T20 cricket. I firmly believe that, and I think it's almost quite exciting that we have in place. that 225 with a bat and bowling a team out for 60 kind of thing and there's a lot of guys in our team such dangerous players if we can all come good on that night we'll be extremely dangerous side to beat so we hugely confident it's one of those nights where you go out give it everything and

hope that it's enough and i think we fielded it really well i think we've jowed as a group bowling group and badders as well so yeah we're very confident and obviously very excited to be taking on the hosts in their own home country yeah if it gets tight again and you're bowling last that could be you personally at the death, couldn't it you've taken those death overs? Is that something you look forward to? Yeah, massively, I guess, doesn't get any bigger, and hopefully it doesn't come down to the 10 off six to defend, and hopefully won nice and easily.

But if it does, obviously, it would be first time to put my hand up and try and win the game for my country. So that's extremely exciting, but I think for it to get to that stage, we've got to play that perfect game, and whether that's putting a big score on the board or chasing something down. I think we've got our plans. We're going to train really well the next couple of days, afternoon and evening session. So, yeah, I guess it's get our preparation right and get excited.

What are your processes when it gets tight and touch? We had it here against Nepal, didn't we? You bought that last over. Turning it off six, as you mentioned. What processes do you try and go through to get through that situation? I guess it's, for me, it's probably just visualising, I guess, some of their players that I'll be coming up against. I've played against all of them in the IPL and things like that. So in terms of that, there's no unknowns about what to expect from the Indian team.

know their team extremely well and I just train as though I'm in those situations and same thing what you do at the bat you think about which bowl is you're gonna face and just kind of visualize and put yourself in those scenarios and then I guess yeah just be ex I'm very excited I'm kind of sat here with a lot of excitement I played in World Cups every final and to be playing India like I've already said is pretty special so I guess whatever happens I'm just hoping that we we get that one run more than them on the night yeah and Harry what's he like in those situations you have the one here the ones

Italy, I think it was a penultimate over, wasn't it, you got a couple of wickets there? What's he like when it gets really tight in those situations? Yeah, really calm. Brookie's been great. Obviously, new to the role in T20 stuff, and there's a lot of senior players within around him that are helping him and extremely calm. Let's the bowler decide where he's feel comfortable, field sets, things like that. So he's been great and I'm sure on a night like Thursday night, when it's extremely loud,

it's going to require a lot of calmness and kind of being very clear on how we want to attack them. He backs his bowlers and I guess that helps when you got a captain who gives you that backing and belief that you can be the man. So yeah, he's been great. Yeah. Have you spoken to Joss at all about, you mentioned him earlier, such a big part in 2022? He struggled in the last few innings, single figure scores.

Is he someone that you would ever feel the need to go and give a tip to or is he not that sort of person and you just let him sort out himself? Yeah, I'm very close to Joss, obviously, chatted with him quite a bit around, I guess, the way the tournament's gone and things. things like that. There's no doubting his ability, such a quality player. There's no question he would love to have scored more runs. But I guess I'm a firm believer, I'd much rather him in my team on Thursday night than in the Indian team because when you've got quality players like that, they're bound to come good. So whether that's, even if it's not on Thursday night,

we still, that's still much rather a Josh Butler being my side than another team. So we've firm belief that we'll come good and him and Salty, the top of order can come and fly out the blocks here. It's normally a great wicket and yeah, I think we've got full faith in Joss and yeah, hoping that Thursday will be his night because we just know how such a quality player has been for us. Yeah. Confident you can win? Absolutely. Well, that was the thoughts of Sam Curran. Could be a very key player for England, Prakash and somebody that knows the IPL, well, and this is another point though, isn't it? All of these players know these venues. It's not going to come as a surprise what it's all

Not at all. And I think we've talked about it often through the last few weeks, Henry. We know that Sam Curran and India have an amazing equation. He performs brilliantly against India and in India, whether it's IPL or any other form of cricket. So he will be a key, key part of it. I just feel that because England have found a way in difficult situations to consistently take that one extra step and get over the line almost every time, they are better for it.

They haven't sort of just blown everyone away like in some way South Africa have. Or India did it in 23 in a 50-over World Cup. India have had the blip as well, that one terrible day in Ahmedabad. So I think both teams will fancy their chances. They both know there's nothing to choose really. It's about the performance on the day, the matchups, who's going to come out and play that inspired innings on either side or two, and that will determine who goes through.

but I suspect the 12th man, which is the crowd, if England are able to, as Sukhri Conrad said the other night in Amdabad, we are there to silence that crowd. If that happens and if the crowd goes silent, I think England has done the game. Yeah, I mean, I don't know whether it's because of the drink I'm about to have for celebrating holy, but I've just got a funny feeling about England. I have a feeling that they're on this nice ride from Sri Lanka.

You know, you get a Sri Lanka early and play a few games before a World Cup in those conditions. Preparation was good. It's surprising that, and they play quite well. But we don't want to go back a few months, do we? But I just got a funny feeling about this England side. They seem to have found a way of winning, and that's really important. I think winning close games, I think the winner against news, even though it was a bit of a dead rubber, to win in that chase, needing 43 off the last three overs.

And to get over the line quite convincingly in the end was a great effort, Clearly they're going to have to play well and cope with the crowd and cope with the expectation. But I just look at this Indian side, whether they are just not playing great or they're waiting for this moment to put in their best performance, time will tell. But I thought their fielding against the West Inners was as bad as I've seen it. And England's fielding has been absolutely exceptional. Hopkins and the fielding coach has come and done a wonderful job from what I can see. They just look really alert in the field England. the side were really poor in the field.

England's running between the wickets has been exceptional. So just small kind of percentage things that you can control yourself, which is fielding attitude running between the wickets. England seems to be doing very, very well. And if they can bring that on Thursday here in Mumbai, and they get one or two of their firecrackers playing, a Harry Brook, a Joss Butler, a Phil Salt. I like England's bowling.

You know, I look at the bowling tag, I think they've got everything covered. They've got great combinations, great variables. And I don't know why. said maybe it's happy holy but I just got a funny feeling that England can get the job done here in Mumbai. Crackash take us aside the Wankadi Stadium and what it'll be like on Thursday night. It'll be shaking, it'll be throbbing that you can be sure. I mean even for neutral games we saw the Nepal game for example boy did those supporters come out and

really shake that stadium up it'll be it'll be an absolute riot in terms of people they know they if India do win or lose this is the last time the Mumbai crowd is going to see India in this tournament, much to the disappointment of many who don't want the big final to be in Amdabad, that wanted to be in Mumbai or Calcutta or Chennai. But that's for another time. I think there will be a lot of support for India. But to Michael's point about fielding, India actually have three, dare I say, almost passenger-like folks in that squad, right? Jaspreet does the job with the ball. I don't think he's electric in the field. Varun Chakravarti, I think he's just got to get his head sorted out. He doesn't seem to be himself

at all and Ashby isn't exactly flash in the field either. So in a T20 game where every run is so critical, those three guys are going to be a handicap that India are going to have to make up with some brilliant somewhere else. You think about that West Indies game, West Indies a number of balls that went through legs on the boundary edge, number of Ys that were bowled. They could easily won that game Westin. Oh yeah, they were poor. I mean India have a good day in the field. I reckon the West Indies to 160 and I guess that's the threat for England.

If India come out and bowl the way that they did again, I thought they bowed nicely against the West Indians, they just didn't feel well enough. But India have got the skill set and the capabilities blown any team away, and that's the worry. You know, you go back to many other games, you go back to a game here a year or so ago, when Amershet got a big 100, got over 250,

one by plenty. So you know that India have that in the locker, but, you know, this England side just seemed to be in T20 cricket. They've made the last five semifinals. So England know how to play T20 cricket at the highest level and they've got a group of players that have played a lot now. I mean the selection's been really good. You go back a year ago in the championship trophy similar conditions when Sam Curran ones are there, Liam Dorsen wasn't there,

they went all right-armed pace bowlers, you know, just the major spin of Adel Rashid and nothing else really. They've got selection right. I think Sam Curran's been exception. I think Liam Dawson just under the radar rock solid performer. You know he's just delivering. He bowls in the power play ball's in the middle, balls near the back end. He just knows his own game and he's a player now that I think will be around the whiteboard team for a while he's fit. There's no reason why he can't play obviously until the 50 over World Cup in 27 and beyond because he's you know doing a nice job. He's goodball in those underspinners just skinning the ball onto the right hander from around the wicket perfectly and he's got the game awareness of what's required so

the Ingle have got the selection right it's just a performance and it can can they get a performance. I don't I don't see India performing as badly in the field as they did against the West Indies. No. And I don't see them performing as badly as they did against South Africa with the bat. I think they've got their batting sorted. I think they've almost had that blip. So England will have to play a good game of cricket, but I do think England have got enough good players playing well enough to, I guess it'd be a shot.

You'd have to say at this stage practically that India would be just favourites because it's in Mumbai, home territory. have just started to play a little bit better, particularly with the batting hand. And I think that's where India will think that they can win more so than with the ball, actually. I think they know that this powerful batting line that they have, it can really blow any seam in the world away on a given day. So that's the real fear for England. Win the toss, presumably, you want to chase? I suppose both teams would probably want to chase, as my guess, unless of course England have a view of runs of the board, big semifinal, that logic.

I think conditions and the prediction of you will play a factor, for sure. If at all there is going to be any deal, we'll know in the next couple of days when we see the ground of the evenings. I won't be worried about batting first so, correct? You wouldn't? No, because, you know, the West Indies, they got 1.95 against England and won quite easy. There was a bit of tweak. I go back to that 50 over World Cup here, where, you know, England, I think, against South Africa, won the toss and decided to bowl in the afternoon, and South Africa got four.

And so batting first, you can actually get a big, big number. The pitch might get a little bit. But if you get bat first, you can easily get a 225, 230 score. They can obviously put you massively in the game. I agree. I think Chason will be the way that both captains want to go. But the only thing here is a venue that you lose the toss, you lose the game. I think you can still win the game batting first.

Yeah. It's a memorable day that against South Africa. Not least because Josh Butler, when he won the toss and elected to field first, said afterwards, I didn't realize how hot it was going to be, despite big out there when it was very hot at the toss. It was a World Cup that did not necessarily go England's way in so many ways. But who knows what it's going to be like on Thursday. One thing we do know is it's going to be noisy, it's going to be colourful,

much like the rest of the day here in Mumbai. Bracash, we're not far from Marine Drive and all the celebrations. Talk us through what the rest of Holi is going to look like around this city. Well, I mean, look, where Holi will now be played is in two areas, basically, one in these large housing complexes where all the residents get together, and it's just an absolute ball that they have. And then on the streets, depending on where you are, if you go into the old city, into the crowded areas of central Mumbai,

you will get drenched, you will get fed things, you will get things given to you which you drink at your own risk if you want to. But, you know, it's just going to be a day of festive fervor. Tomorrow morning, you will see people going to work looking very different from what they were than previous evening. that I can assure you because sometimes some of these colours don't come off that easily. Yes, as I discovered this morning, trying to get the red paint off my face in the shower. So we'll wait and see what the day brings us and the next couple of days indeed with the semi-finals.

Both getting underway 1.30 UK time. First up on Wednesday, it is the game between South Africa and New Zealand in Calcutta and Eden Gardens. Full commentary of that on BBC Sounds and Five Sports Extra and then England against India on Thursday. We're not expecting any rain. There are reserve days available, but we don't think that that will be a factor. So we will wait and see what occurs. Who will be heading to the final in Armadabad on Sunday? My thanks to you, Michael, and to Prakash. And thanks so much for listening.

Don't forget to subscribe on BBC Sounds to the Test Match Special podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Thank you so much for listening. Let's go and find one of those drinks. Thanks, Michael. Thank you, Prakash. See you later. podcast from BBC Radio

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