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England have the spirit to hit back: Vaughan
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December 17, 2008 12:16 IST

Former captain Michael Vaughan [Images] backed England [Images] to bounce back from the bitter loss in Chennai, saying that Kevin Pietersen [Images] and his men have the "bulldog spirit" to square the Test series against India in Mohali.

"One thing with the England team is we do have a bulldog spirit, a fighting spirit. We proved that in this game," Vaughan said ahead of the second and final Test in Mohali starting December 19.

England dominated the first three days of the first Test before losing the plot on the fourth day when Indian opener Virender Sehwag [Images] went on a rampage to snatch the match away from the visitors.

"It was a great game of cricket. Both teams played to an incredible standard in terms of what they'd gone through in the previous two weeks," Vaughan was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.

"The England team can be very proud of the way they played. For three-and-three-quarter days they dominated the Test and that is something which is very difficult to do in India," he added.

Vaughan admitted that the six-wicket loss in Chennai was a bitter pill to swallow, considering the way England dominated most part of the match.

"The defining moment was that middle session [on day four] when we probably let the momentum sway back towards India when we could have nailed home the game."

However, Vaughan, who is currently on a sabbatical from international cricket, said the task would be a tough test of England's mental strength.

"We've just lost a real big game, a game that all the lads would have expected to win on that fourth evening," he said.

"It's going to be a real task of mental strength. The boys are pretty drained and emotionally tired from what they've been through in the last few weeks. But if they win the toss, and bat, and get put runs on the board they can put India under a lot of pressure," he added.

The right-hander, training with the England's elite performance squad, said he is working towards his international comeback.

"My mind is very refreshed and of course after such a great game of cricket I'm desperate to get out there and make decisions, play and score runs," he said.




Complete coverage: England in India 2008

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