DAVID GOWER
England have a two-test series against Pakistan in May before the five-test series against India later in the summer. Both will be interesting.
Pakistan won the Champions Trophy last year, and will come to England bearing the predictable tag of being unpredictable. You never have any idea what they are going to do when they come here.
India are No1 in the world right now, and thrashed us a winter ago. There is revenge in the air and there will be lots of points to prove. You will have people doing their utmost to do exactly that, especially after the bad winter England have had in Australia.
India are there to be taken off
their perch, and they are much better at home than they are away, even if that has changed a little over the years.
When we are at home, we have an edge that we need to use.
After an Ashes defeat, you lick your wounds, take a bit of time and then say, “Right, that is done”. You look ahead to a different challenge and you start again.
I remember someone saying to me, when I first walked into a cricket dressing room, that there are more bad days than good. Once you understand that, you are still in the game.
I am also looking forward to seeing more women’s sport this year. I watched the women’s hockey at the Rio Olympics more avidly than I have watched any of the cricket for the last
20 years!