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Former England captain Nasser Hussain feels Andrew Strauss's men can intimidate world number one India even before they set foot on the upcoming tour by disposing off a "troubled Sri Lanka" in the ongoing Test series.
India are set to tour England next month and Hussain feels a warning shot can be fired at them by beating Sri Lanka comprehensively in the third and final Test of a three-match series, which the hosts lead 1-0.
"This may feel like a low-key series, but it's important England rise above the apathy and dispose of a troubled Sri Lanka side over the next few days.
"A 1-0 series win would feel like a bit of an anti-climax after the last-minute heroics in Cardiff. With India on the horizon, Andrew Strauss will be desperate to make a statement -- dodgy weather permitting," Hussain wrote in The Daily Mail ahead of the third Test.
Hussain said skipper Andrew Strauss, who has been off-colour for a while, should come up with an inspiring knock to not just motivate his teammates in the ongoing series but also be in the right frame of mind to face top Indian pacer Zaheer Khan next month.
"...Strauss will want some runs - especially because people are starting to look at his record against left-arm seamers.
"He will deny there's an issue because that's what sportsmen do: it's a psychological trick to prevent the intrusion of negative thoughts. But a hundred here will set him up perfectly for India's left-arm quick Zaheer Khan," Hussain explained.