Trott says Strauss is ready for an Indian summer

Strauss will play on loan for Somerset against India at Taunton in a three-day match starting tomorrow in an attempt to regain some form ahead of the opening npower Test at Lord’s next week.

He has looked ill at ease against left-arm seamers and will face one of the best exponents in the world in India’s Zaheer Khan.

But Trott points to how Alastair Cook has revived his fortunes in spectacular fashion during the past 12 months as an example of how quickly a player can regain his form.

He said: “I thought people would have learned from the end of last summer with what everyone was saying about Alastair Cook – and then look at the winter he had.

“As a team, we respect Andrew so much for what he has done for the team and with the bat.

“The bloke knows his job as captain and opening bat is to score heaps of runs like everyone else selected in the position he bats.

“Andrew has been working really hard with Graham Gooch (England batting coach).

“He’s been coming to nets during the one-dayers.

“If Andrew goes on and scores hundreds this series, everyone will be really happy, and he is capable of that.”

Trott, speaking at an event organised by official car supplier to the England team Jaguar, also feels the team has a collective responsibility to perform if certain players are out of form.

He said: “If Andrew has a few low scores, it’s important that we all dovetail with each other and you pick up the slack when someone else is not doing too well.

“Hopefully ,they will do it when you are not doing too well. We work as a team like that and that is what team-mates are for.”

Trott is calling for England to repeat their opening Test win against Sri Lanka earlier in the summer when they face India, the No 1 ranked side in the world.

He said: “Playing against India at Lord’s is going to be a great challenge for the individual but also for the team in general.

“England is a fantastic team to be part of at the moment and we are really excited about the opportunity that lies ahead.

“There is a lot of cricket to come up during the summer. But Lord’s is where we are going to start, and, hopefully, we can start off with a win like we did against Sri Lanka.”

India will only have the Somerset game to become accustomed to English conditions after ending their tour of the West Indies on Sunday.

But Trott is unsure whether that will give England an advantage.

He said: “I don’t know. A lot of teams come over and are slow to get going but they have been playing cricket.

“It’s not like they have had a couple of months off and have come to England and have one game to get rid of the rust.

“They are going to be right on top of their game.”

Trott is averaging more than 60 in Test cricket and has set his sights on sustaining that kind of form.

He said: “I’d like to think I can do that. There is no reason why not. There is no reason why you can’t continue.

“But like life, cricket is similar. There are lots of ups and downs and it’s how you deal with those and bounce back.”

India’s lynchpin batsman, Rahul Dravid, believes counter-attack may be the best method of keeping England’s world No 1 spin bowler Graeme Swann at bay.

Dravid, nicknamed ‘The Wall’ for his determination at the crease, averages more than 60 in Test cricket in this country and was part of the team that beat England 1-0 on India’s last tour four years ago.

“Obviously Graeme Swann is a top-class spinner. We first saw him in England bowling here last time, and the boys rated him,” said Dravid. “He’s come on leaps and bounds from then and has become one of their lead bowlers.

“He’s an attacking bowler, and that’s one of the things that is different. He’s not just looking to contain; he’s looking to take wickets. He’s not scared to toss the ball up and gets turn with good sideways spin.

“It will be a good contest against batsmen who are good players against spin, who will not be scared to take him on.”