Birmingham: Graham Gooch, one of the all-time supreme openers and a former captain of England, spoke to The Telegraph from the "Yorkshire area" on Tuesday morning, ahead of resuming training for his upcoming 'Goochie's Coast 2 Coast 2018' fund-raising Walk.

The Walk, over 13 days from mid-September, will raise funds for the Professional Cricketers' Association's Benevolent Fund and the Graham Gooch Scholarship.

Alastair Cook, England's highest run-getter in Test cricket (12,145), has been a beneficiary of the Scholarship.

Gooch, who took 333 off India's attack at Lord's in the 1990 Test series, is the Association's president.

Excerpts...

Q You've gone on record to say the five-Test series would be a close affair. Still maintain that?

A Yes. It will be close.

Q Best chance for India and for England...

A India have to get a big score and hope the spinners come into play in a significant way... England too need big runs on the board and, then, hope that James Anderson gets quick breakthroughs. Anderson is 36 and in the last phase of his career, but he remains more than a handful.

Q What will make the difference, at least in the first Test?

A Runs on the board by the team having first use of the Edgbaston wicket. But that would be true of each of the five Tests. It's very common to talk of having to take 20 wickets, but you also need the runs. You may have an excellent bowling attack, but if the first innings total is 250, then you and not the opposition is under pressure. However, even if you have an average bowling attack, but the batsmen have put 550 on the board, then you will have the upper hand irrespective of the quality of the bowling. Point I'm making is that runs do matter.

Q It rained in Birmingham on Saturday and on Sunday, ending the heatwave in and around here. From experience, what would the wicket be like?

A Dry beneath the surface. The wicket's behaviour would change if the overhead conditions are such that there's no sun.

Q Two spinners in each team?

A India, I'm sure, will field two spinners. Historically, barring Alastair Cook and Joe Root, the present lot hasn't been playing spin well... England would certainly play leg-spinner Adil Rashid. There's bound to be another furore if he's not in the XI. But off-spinner Moeen Ali too? I don't know... Let me put it this way... If England play two spinners, it would mean the wicket isn't to their liking. If it's Rashid only, then Edgbaston has pleased Root and (head coach) Trevor Bayliss.

[England, as it turns out, have omitted Moeen from the XI. Jamie Porter too won't be playing.]

Q Would you have selected Rashid, who chose to sign only a white-ball contract with Yorkshire?

A I can understand why the selectors headed by Ed Smith picked Rashid, but it wasn't a principled decision.

Q That has been the view of quite a few other former England players as well...

A Because no one forced Rashid to commit himself only to white-ball cricket at Yorkshire. The Counties' T20 matches clash with the Test series, so he won't be available for Yorkshire. Basically, the selectors' decision does no justice to those spinners who're playing the (first-class) Championship matches. Doesn't respect them, even though I understand why the call was taken... Obviously, England are convinced that the dry conditions merit having two spinners, including Rashid, available for selection... Rashid isn't to be blamed at all in this episode. Our Board definitely spoke to him before the decision was made.

Q Did the Board also speak to Yorkshire, which is the Test captain's County?

A I'm not aware.

Q You played against India a number of times and, since retirement, have been observing teams from India. What is the one big difference between this one and those of the past?

A I reckon Virat Kohli's team is the fittest from India that I have seen. Virat is himself so fit and, so, has set the benchmark. The three days in Chelmsford allowed me to see the players from close. They are fit.

Q Won't captains Virat and Root be under awesome pressure?

A At the international level, you are always under pressure. Virat and Root just have to live with it... Virat's a modern-day great and Root too is such a fine batsman. They would be aware of what confronts them and what is expected of them. Pressure doesn't spare anybody.

Q The last one... How is pressure best handled?

A Pressure is a privilege, embrace it.