McCullum and England prepare for Bazball party

Brendon McCullum is familiar with Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. He is one of the few overseas batters to enjoy a better record in the Indian subcontinent than at home, averaging 50 plus here.

- Sanjjeev K Samyal

At the stadium in Uppal, his average is even better at 73.25. It means, if you know the method to counter the conditions, there are runs to be had, even on these surfaces. Playing here in 2010, the dashing New Zealand batter had blasted a 225 at a strike-rate of 73 plus. When he returned in 2012, he made 22 and 42.

Now in his role as head coach of the England team on Tuesday morning he was at the nets in the Stadium campus, preparing his batters for the big test of spin ahead with his attacking brand of cricket. One look at the Uppal pitch and it's pretty clear that the track will turn. It is completely bald and with more rolling through the day while baking under the scorching sun, the surface looked whiter by the hour.