Gaji
Former India Test player, Farokh Engineer, has said it's vital the tourists bring back their and the nation's pride when they effort to stay away from a Test whitewash at The Oval.
India, who came into this series as the world's top-ranked Test team, are 3-0 down in a four-match competition after a trio of more and more large defeat, most recently last week's mammoth innings and 242 run turn around at Edgbaston that saw England replace them at number one in the ICC's Test Championship table.
Engineer, one of the best wicketkeeper/batsman of his era, said India had been wedged cold by Andrew Strauss's men.
"India underestimate England, they were under-prepared," he told AFP in an interview after training school children at an MCC Spirit of Cricket and Street Chance plan in Brixton, near The Oval, in South London, on Wednesday.
"England has played far better than everyone predictable them - although the true test will come when they play on subcontinent wickets," added Engineer, who appear in 46 Tests for India from 1961 to 1975.
"But they've outplayed India in every section: captaincy, bowling, batting fielding, even wicket keeping," an appreciative Engineer, also a mainstay of English country side Lancashire for much of the 1970s, said.
"It has been a shock to the system; this India side has never been so badly hammer by any team before.
"So let this is an eye-opener," insist Engineer ahead of Thursday's start of the fourth Test.
"They've got to play for arrogance, because Indians are very proud of their cricketing heritage and it's hurt the average Indian big-time that India have perform so miserably on this tour."
It is nearly precisely 40 years ago since The Oval staged one of India's most triumphs, with Engineer playing a leading role.
On August 24 1971 India strike England by four wickets, a victory that gave them a first Test win on English soil and the three-match series 1-0 after two draws. Engineer, well-known as both a dynamic batsman and agile keeper, top-scored in India's first innings with 59.
He then guide India to the brink of conquest with 28 not out before Abid Ali hit the winning runs in a match where leg-spinner Bhagwat Chandrasekar took six for 38 in England's meagre second innings 101.
"I remember like it happen yesterday," the now 73-year-old Engineer, who has made his home in England, said. "Chandra was a polio victim who made his imperfection into a great benefit, the way he turned the ball viciously."
Engineer; recall the final stages, added: "Abid Ali came in, with about four runs to win and there was only Venkat, Bishan Bedi and Chandrasekhar left - and none of them knew which side of the bat to hold.
"I told Abid 'don't lose your head'. So what does he do first ball? I think it was Derek Underwood bowling, he charged down the wicket, and Alan Knott miss the stumping - and Knotty was a great 'keeper
"Next over I take a single, I don't know why. Abid Ali was back on strike and I consideration 'I hope he doesn't do anything daft'.
"But Abid, being Abid Ali, exciting down the wicket again, got an edge that went over the slips for four and we won the game. Abid was approved in by the crowd and he loved it.
"After the match, the relax of the team went back to India for a ticker tape welcome but I had to play the next day for Lancashire."As I went out to bat at Old Trafford, I got a standing ovation.
"I thought, 'there's amazing wrongs somewhere, I've just shafted England the day before and the English people, these Lancastrians, not the Indians, are giving me a standing ovation'. "It brings a tear to my eye, such was the sporting nature of the British public, and it was brilliant to see that, he said.
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