London, Aug 17: Over the last three Tests played between the two nations, the Indian batting line-up was devoured by England’s pace attack six times. A line-up comprising of modern day greats like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman was bundled out for less than 300 runs by seamers James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Tremlett (in the first Test at Lord’s) and Tim Bresnan. But according to spinner Graeme Swann, the wicket that the English valued most was that of Dravid.

“Dravid has looked in really good form and his is the wicket that’s cherished most within the huddle,” Swann was quoted as saying.

“He uses his feet exceptionally well and is the guy who has challenged our bowlers the most. Once we’ve got him it must send shockwaves through the Indian batting. I know he doesn’t like being called ‘The Wall’ but you sense once he’s gone you are a little bit closer to getting them out,” he added.

Dravid scored two back-to-back centuries in the first two matches and has been dismissed five times in the series, with James Anderson and Tim Bresnan bringing about his downfall twice each.

On Anderson, who reported a thigh strain after Edgbaston, Swann said, “I think he’s fine. I didn’t know he was injured until this [Tuesday] morning but I’m sure it’s just a bit of stiffness. He didn’t seem to be limping from his car. He’ll want to play because of how well he’s bowling at the minute. If I know Jimmy, when he’s doing well he is hungry for the ball and wants to keep going.”

According to media reports, though, Anderson took part in some fielding drills, did a bit of batting and had a chat with Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower, but did not bowl in the nets like fellow pacers Broad, Bresnan, Steve Finn and Graham Onions. Yet, he will neither be confirmed nor ruled out before the end of today’s practice.

Speaking about his own lack of form in the last three series, Swann said, “I wouldn’t say it’s been frustrating for me. I’m not firing on all cylinders but that’s just a case of not getting as many overs under my belt as I would want. It hasn’t been dry and hot this summer but someone up there is looking after us because we wanted it to be cloudy with a bit of moisture for our seam bowlers.”

Hoping to get more wickets in the forthcoming match he added, “This Oval pitch has been fairly good to bat on for the last couple of years but it’s also been quite dry, which is good for spinners. I’m no groundsman but there’s a little guy inside me that says he hopes it’s dry out there and it spins a bit, though there will be three or four guys in our changing room hoping it stays a little bit damp.”

Discussing England’s run to the top and the plan for staying at the position he said, “I’m a bit nervous about what our analyst might come up with for our next goal as I remember him plotting our path to the top a few years ago and thinking how incredibly implausible it all was.”

“Playing Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and then Sri Lanka away will be two huge series for us because they’re not the kind of places where you can go and steamroll teams and win handsomely. Then we have India the winter after that, which could be a real litmus test of where we are as a team, especially if we can carry our performances of the past two years into those hostile conditions,” he said about the road ahead.