The Strauss-Fletcher reunion

The England v India series is unlikely to be a dull series and even if there is a dull moment in the series, there is the added piquancy of England's old coach, Duncan Fletcher, now taking on that role for India, and the reunion of England's captain Andrew Strauss with his former mentor, writes Vic Marks in the Observer.

For Strauss Flower is more a collaborator than a mentor and he is more important to him now. But that does not mean that Strauss is about to deny the massive contribution of Fletcher to England's cricketers in the recent past.

"He made me aware of what Test cricket actually entailed," he maintains. "He is a great father figure; he has been there, done it all, seen it all and once he worked with you for a while it was very hard not to be loyal to him as a bloke.

India are traditionally slow starters, and that reputation has only been embellished in the last three years when the only three Tests they have lost have all been the first Test of a series: home and away against South Africa, and away to Sri Lanka observes Scyld Berry in the Sunday Telegraph.

All the more reason therefore that England have to hit India hard at Lord’s and Trent Bridge, the ground that most favours their pace bowlers, and go 2-0 up.