Eoin Morgan lauds India’s ‘hunger and desire’ to win Test matches

The former England captain also expects India to play with a similar mindset when it tours Australia for a five-match Test series later this year.

Eoin Morgan (from left), Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Jonty Rhodes, Romesh Kaluwitharana and Shane Watson at the launch of the Indian Masters League in Mumbai on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

India has won 18 consecutive Test series at home since 2013 - creating history. And as Rohit Sharma’s men gear up for yet another home series against New Zealand, beginning later this month, former England captain Eoin Morgan considers the Indian team ‘one of the greatest’ in home conditions.

“What makes them so good is their hunger and desire to want to win,” Morgan said.

Drawing reference to the Kanpur Test last week, where India’s blitzkrieg batting ensured that it defeated Bangladesh convincingly, despite rain abandoning nearly three days of play. While a section of the cricket fraternity termed that performance as India’s answer to England’s ‘Bazball’, Morgan admitted that not taking things for granted has made India a stronger side, especially at home.

“We come from countries that have huge advantages for the home side. But yet our records over the course of generations are nowhere near as good as Indians. England came here (earlier this year) for the Test Series, played on some pretty flat wickets; some wickets that turned, but nothing out of the ordinary. And, India was dominant. It’s those big moments in a Test match where India seem to be better at dealing with them and accelerating the game further than any other team. That’s what a great team is,” Morgan said at the launch of the Indian Masters League.

Australia won 10 consecutive home series between November 1994 to November 2000 and followed it up with as many series wins between July 2004 and November 2008, under the captaincy of Ricky Ponting.

“I am a huge believer in accessing and maximising the power of the mindset. I think if sides can do that even a small amount or marginally better, you can see what India achieve. I think it’s far more exciting to watch it. It takes the game forward,” Morgan said, heaping praises on India’s approach during the Kanpur Test.

“Ultimately, it applies a huge amount of pressure on the opposition. So I’m a big fan of it….” Morgan said, adding that over the years, the mindset of the teams has changed in terms of approaching a red-ball game.

And when India tours Australia for a five-match Test series, starting next month, Morgan expects India to play with a similar mindset. “It will be exhilarating if they go to Australia and play in that manner,” he said, adding with a smile: “If they take that mindset into playing Nathan Lyon like that, it asks a lot of questions (to) Australia…”