SAM MORSHEAD - INTERVIEW: Walker, who has yet to make a first-class appearance, ripped through the Indian top order to record fine first-innings figures of 5 for 24 in the warm-up match between Leicestershire and the tourists.
"Keep it simple and let them do something stupid."
That's the message to England's bowlers from the county seamer who caused India all sorts of problems, ahead of the meeting of the two countries at Edgbaston from Friday.
Roman Walker, who has yet to make a first-class appearance, ripped through the Indian top order to record fine first-innings figures of 5 for 24 in the warm-up match between Leicestershire and the tourists.
The 21-year-old Welshman claimed the scalps of Rohit Sharma, Hanuma Vihari, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur on a pitch offering plenty for bat and ball at Grace Road.
"Keep it consistent," he said when The Cricketer asked what advice he would have for James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Matt Potts and Ben Stokes when the new-look England try to take Bazball to the Indians in Birmingham.
"I think the only advice is try to be as consistent as possible, starve them of runs and make them do something stupid. But the England bowlers are a lot better than me.
"It was a good cricket wicket. The first day was probably the best wicket for batters and bowlers but it flattened out towards the end of the game.
"It was just about getting the ball in the right place really. It was pretty simple. The ball was doing enough and every now and then it would nip, and it was all about getting it in the right place."
Walker found himself the surprise focus of subcontinental media attention in the aftermath of the match, and turned on his phone to a deluge of congratulatory messages from friends and family.
"You never really expect to do that," he said. "I have got a lot of experience in red-ball cricket but not professionally, a lot of twos cricket. You're never expecting to come away with five against India. If you can come away with one or two and keep it at under three runs an over, that's happy days.
"I was buzzing when I got told I was going to play. There was a hint of 'oh well, I wonder if they're going to take it seriously because it's just a warm-up match'. I've heard stories of teams coming over and batting their top five three or four times, but fair play they took it seriously.
"It's Kohli. He doesn't want to get out to a 21-year-old who hasn't played a first-class game"
"It was a proper game and they were brilliant."
Most of us might think a night out on the town was in order after dismissing the Indian captain and one of the best batsmen to play the game in quick succession, but Walker's celebrations were mooted: a night on the Xbox with roommate Arron Lilley and a pepperoni pizza from Domino's.
"It is a five-for against India but at the same time it's not sunk in. I'm getting a lot of followers and a lot of messages, but it's not sunk in," he said.
His family, who arrived en masse in Leicester after the game to surprise Walker, made sure the occasion was properly marked, at least.
"I find it difficult to talk about it with my family because my dad will always have something I should have approved on," Walker said. "And my mum is hyper-excited when I've done well, and I don't process that very well."
India prepare for the Test match against England at Edgbaston [Getty Images]
Kohli's wicket gained the most traction for Walker on social media, helped in particular by the former India skipper's apparent dismay after being given out leg-before.
"The boys said he was asking confirmation about why he was given out because the ball carried through to the keeper," Walker said.
"So he might have thought he was given out caught behind, but I'm not being funny, he was absolutely plumb lbw. I don't think I've had a more plumb lbw this season.
"It's Kohli. He doesn't want to get out to a 21-year-old who hasn't played a first-class game."
Walker swapped Glamorgan for a three-year deal at Leicestershire over the winter but has yet to make his mark in the East Midlands. That said, he is happy with how he has settled in his new home, offering plenty of praise to the Foxes' management: "They've been class.
"I've not played as much as I'd have liked to this season but that's more down to me than the club. They've been really good. They're such an energetic coaching group and they'd do anything for you."
If England's bowlers can have his success against the same opponents this week, the McCullum-Stokes era's remarkable start will surely continue.
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