'First Test the factor'

England batsman Jonny Bairstow nudges the ball away on the leg-side on way to scoring a century during the first day of a three-day practice match against Mumbai A and at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai yesterday.Photo: AFP

Former captain Sunil Gavaskar said on Saturday that India will have an edge over England in the upcoming Test series if they manage to win the first match, but added that the hosts' batting line-up looks shaky.
"I have always believed that home teams have an edge. They are familiar with the conditions. They are able to be in the surroundings they are comfortable in. You know the pitch conditions".
"In 2011, England were very vulnerable, Australia were very vulnerable. The first Test becomes an important factor.
"England won the first Test and Australia won the first Test. You derive strength from that. If India wins the first Test, I don't think England will be able to come back," Gavaskar said.
He maintained that the batting looks depleted with the retirement of senior players like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman and the opening pair of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir struggling for form.
"The batting looks a bit shaky. The opening pair's form doesn't look that good. Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman have retired. Cheteshwar Pujara is new. The batting looks a bit weakened to what we had earlier.
"Just now the season has started... if the players are in form then even we can score 500-600 runs. In bowling Umesh Yadav is new. Pragyan Ojha and R Ashwin's combination has not become that popular. It is not the same attack we had a couple of years ago," he said.
Asked to predict the outcome of the series, Gavaskar hoped India would make a clean sweep.
"It is hard to predict but I hope so. I hope it is 4-0 against England and 4-0 against Australia. It is what we suffered in 2011," he said.