Five match test series between India and England is standing on a crucial note as stats are equal 1-1 after 3 matches. Both the teams will square off against each other from tomorrow in the fourth test at Oval. This test would be the most important match seeing the performances by both the tests.
Teams have started planning their strategies of knocking out the game at do or die level. Both the teams are in their best form right now where domination is coming from both the sides as all the three matches lasted till the day five and thatβs the missing essence of test cricket can be seen here.
In the fourth match England will miss its fellow vice-captain Jos Buttler where Moeen Ali will take place of vice-captain and Bairstow as wicket-keeper while Either Ollie Pope or Dan Lawrence will come into the side to replace him. There are also likely to be changes in the bowling attack with Woakes a good bet to take Sam Curran's place at number eight. Wood could replace Craig Overton despite the Somerset man impressing at Headingly.
Bowling Coach Bharat Arun has confirmed that Ravindra Jadeja is fit. India will harbour a temptation to replace the off-colour (at Headingly) Ishant Sharma and unleash Ravichandran Ashwin for the first time this series. Should India resist that temptation, Shardul Thakur, who played in the opening Test, could return to the side. He would certainly strengthen a lower order which was blown away twice at Headingly.
Probable XI:
India: KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin/Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
England: Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ollie Pope/Dan Lawrence, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, James Anderson