Rohit Sharma-led Indian side will host the English cricket team at the JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi for the fourth test, which will commence on Friday. After suffering a disappointing loss in the first match, the Indian cricket team has made a spectacular comeback by winning the other two games and securing a 2-1 lead.
KL Rahul was expected to replace Rajat Patidar in India’s playing XI as the Madhya Pradesh batter failed to score big in either of the four innings but the Lucknow Super Giants skipper has been ruled out of the fourth test owing to a quadriceps injury. Either fellow Karnataka batter Devdutt Padikkal might be handed a debut or Axar Patel would be brought into the playing XI to strengthen the spin-bowling department of the hosts.
Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the fourth Test and Mukesh Kumar would be primed for another opportunity after impressing with a 10-wicket haul against Bihar in Bengal’s last Ranji Trophy match of the campaign.
Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel made their debut for the hosts in the 3rd Test while Yashasvi Jaiswal scored two unforgettable double-centuries in the 2nd and the 3rd Test but the young Indian batter was overlooked for the Player of the Match accolade on both junctures.
On the other hand, Ravichandran Ashwin became the second Indian bowler after Anil Kumble to take 500 test wickets. Moreover, he became the second-fastest bowler to reach the peak as he took 500 wickets in 98 matches.
Nevertheless, the Indian team would be looking forward to sealing the series with a match in hand while the fourth test will be a do-or-die fixture for the Poms.
What have they done so far?
The Men in Blue started their 2023-25 WTC campaign with a two-match series against West Indies, which they won 1-0. Afterwards, they played a two-match series against the Proteas in South Africa, which ended 1-1. On the other hand, England’s campaign commenced the new WTC cycle with the Ashes in June-July 2023, which resulted in a 2-2 draw.
With four wins in seven matches and PCT 59.52, India is in the second spot in the WTC table while with three wins in eight games and PCT 21.88, England is in the ninth position.
In the first match, England won the toss and decided to bat first, however, their top-order failed to resist the pressure created by the Indian bowler. Despite Ben Stokes’ gritty 70-run innings, the Poms got all-out at 246. In reply, India scored 436 runs with the help of half-centuries from Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jaiswal.
In the second innings, Ollie Pope led the English innings to a total of 420 with his astounding 196-run knock. The Indian team had a target of 231 to chase, however, due to Tom Hartley’s seven-wicket haul, the Men in Blue lost the first match of the series.
In the second match, Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his maiden double-century and steered the Men in Blue to a total of 396 runs with his 209-run knock but England only managed to score 253 runs as Jaspirt Bumrah only picked up 6 wickets to demolish the English innings. In the second innings, Shubman Gill’s century helped India give England a target of 399 runs. With three wickets each from Ashwin and Bumrah, India equalled the series with a win by 106.
In the third match, India won the toss and decided to bat first. Batting first, Sharma and Jadeja scored centuries to lead the Men in Blue to a mammoth total of 445. On the other side, the whole English batting line-up collapsed except Ben Duckett, who scored 153 runs off 151 deliveries.
In the second innings, Jaiswal stood unbeaten and scored his second double-century, which was a 214-run knock. India declared the innings at a score of 430/4. Chasing a target of 557 runs, Ben Stokes’ side only managed to score 122 and eventually lost the match by 434 runs, which was also India’s largest test win in terms of runs.
Head to Head Record
India and England have played a total of 134 matches against each other in the longest format of cricket. The Men in Blue have managed to win on 33 occasions while the English cricket team has recorded 51 victories. Moreover, 50 matches between the two sides have been drawn.
Key Players
Yashasvi Jaiswal (India): Yashasvi Jaiswal has been in stellar form in the initial three matches of the series. The Rajasthan Royals batter has scored a total of 545 runs in the initial three matches and he’s also the leading run-scorer. He has scored two double centuries procuring 209 runs and 214 runs respectively along with a half-century.
Jaiswal equalled Akram’s record by scoring 12 sixes in singles innings in a Test match
During the third test, the young batter also hit English veteran James Anderson for three consecutive sixes. In addition to that, Jaiswal smashed a total of 12 sixes during his 214-run innings in the third test, and he has already accumulated a total of 22 sixes in the series, with two matches remaining.
Moreover, at the age of 22 years and 52 days, he also became the third youngest batter to have two double centuries in test cricket. Hence, to win, English bowlers are required to get rid of Jaiswal.
Ben Duckett (England): Ben Duckett played astonishing 153-run innings in the last test against India, otherwise the results would have been more devastating for the Poms. The English batting line-up has majorly failed to get the applause in the initial three matches, however, Duckett smashed 23 fours and two sixes to power his 153-run knock.
He is currently the second-highest run-getter in the series with 288 runs ahead of, Ollie Pope who played an important 196-run innings against the Indian team in the first match, which eventually helped England win the match.
Pope is currently the third-highest run-getter in the series with 285 runs. The English batters are required to build partnerships and spend more time on the crease if they want to win the series.
Predicted XIs
India: Rohit Sharma ©, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Devdutt Padikkal, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Ben Stokes ©, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes (wk), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, James Anderson
Prediction
After winning the first match in a heroic fashion, England is currently in a 2-1 deficit. Moreover, they also suffered their biggest defeat against India in test cricket in the third match.
A loss in the fourth test will result in England’s first test series defeat under Ben Stokes, who took up captaincy in 2022 after Joe Root stepped down as the skipper. Considering all the odds and the current forms of the sides, Rohit Sharma’s India are more likely to seal the series in the fourth match.