Geoffrey Boycott believes that England batsmen have yet to prove that they can play to their best against spin bowlers.

The former England batsman raised the doubts following their disappointing start to their innings against India in the first Test match on Friday that saw them lose three wickets for 41 runs.

"We haven't really proved in our mind or in our technique that we can play spin," BBC Sport quotes Boycott as saying.

"You can practise as much as you want, at as many bowlers as you want, in the nets, but when you're out in the middle in a Test match there are four guys round the bat and you're on nought - it's a totally different game.

"Part of it's in the head. Everything looks alright and suddenly we're three down. We've had 18 overs of England batting and we're talking about the follow-on, which tells us everything. It's not looking good."

India declared their first innings on 521-8 in Ahmedabad on the second day.