Strauss wary of Indian backlash at Trent Bridge
England captain Andrew Strauss on Thursday cautioned his teammates against complacency and said a bruised India would be desperate to turn things around in the second cricket Test here after their embarrasing defeat at the Lord's.
England mauled world number one India by 196 runs in the first Test last week but Strauss said going by past records, the visiting team is expected to make a strong comeback at their happy hunting ground, Trent Bridge.
"They are going to come back harder at us, their records back it up. We nearly missed out on a win at Lord's four years ago and they beat us comfortably at Trent Bridge," the left-handed batsman said at the pre-match press conference.
"They would try to prove to the world they are better than they were last week and I am sure they would be.
"Four years ago, India never let us back (in Trent Bridge). They batted exceptionally well and definitely showed a competitive spirit. They showed they were not in England to make numbers. We have learnt our lessons," he insisted.
Irrespective of a 1-0 lead, Strauss said England's key to success in the four-Test series would be the form of his bowlers, who managed to keep the famed Indian batting line up quiet for a long period of time in the first match.
"The key is to bowl accurate and if there is something in the wicket, then to bowl them out cheaply. If there's no help (in the wicket), then at least to make them struggle.
"Batsmen score freely when bowlers don't bowl well. If batsmen want to break shackles, they need to take risks," he said.
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