IND Vs ENG, 4th Test: India To Modify Template In Manchester After Injury Setbacks
An injury-ridden India might need to change its preferred strategy when facing a revitalized England in the fourth Test starting Wednesday at Old Trafford, aiming to break their winless streak there and level the series.
After the first Test in Leeds, India had settled on a line-up featuring three all-rounders, including Nitish Reddy, who is now out of the series due to a knee injury.
With Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar as spin-bowling allrounders, India had solid batting until number eight. However, this might change in Manchester, where India has yet to win in nine attempts, comprising four losses and five draws. England leads 2-1 heading into the penultimate game of the series.
Shardul For Reddy?
Shardul Thakur, who played in the series opener, is the direct replacement for Reddy but doesn't offer the same batting prowess. If selected, he would need to improve his bowling performance, as Reddy took crucial wickets in the third Test at Lord's.
India might return to the combination used in Leeds, where Jadeja was the sole spinner and specialist batters were included up to number six, with both Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan in the playing eleven.
Uncapped pacers Anshul Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna are also options, either of whom could replace Akash Deep if he doesn't recover fully from his groin injury. Kamboj, like Akash Deep, can generate significant seam movement and looked in good form during the first outdoor training session before the high-stakes match. He was also part of India A's shadow tour of England.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are certain starters in the playing eleven.
The Indian batting line-up, led by Shubman Gill, faltered at Lord's, and they will aim to correct their course in this crucial game. Despite low returns in the third Test, Gill has scored over 600 runs in the series and needs to return to his prolific form from the team's perspective.
Jofra Archer has twice dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal in his successful return to Test cricket, and the young Indian left-hander will be better prepared to face Archer's pace.
Gill has been the top run-scorer for India, but KL Rahul has looked the most assured across six innings, providing a batting masterclass in English conditions at the top of the order.
Rishabh Pant seems to have fully recovered from his finger injury and is expected to perform his dual duties as usual.
If Nair gets another chance, he will be keen to convert his starts into a big score. Ravindra Jadeja has been solid in the middle order with four consecutive 50-plus scores but is expected to contribute more with the ball.
When: July 23-27
India doesn't play at Old Trafford regularly, with their last match there in 2014. The last Indian century at this venue was scored by Sachin Tendulkar in 1990.
India is in a must-win situation, while England holds the advantage, having led the series at Lord's.
Ben Stokes, as usual, selected his playing eleven before the game, with Liam Dawson replacing the injured Shoaib Bashir. Dawson, the left-arm spinner, last played for England in July 2017.
Manchester has experienced regular rain over the past week, with light showers forecasted for most of the five days. The damp weather will provide moisture for fast bowlers on day one.
The heated exchanges between the teams have added excitement to the series, promising another thrilling match at Old Trafford.
'Every game we've played so far has gone into the last hour of the game, which you do not see very often. I've had a lot of people come up to me saying 'it's been an amazing series, thank you'. Everybody said that the Lord's game was one of the best games that they've watched, so it's been an amazing series and I'm looking forward to the rest of it," said Harry Brook.
Full Squads
India: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj.
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (vc), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Liam Dawson, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer.
Get latest Cricket news, live score and match results on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated!
tags :
Ben Stokes England cricket team icc world test championship India cricket team India vs England India vs England 2025 Shubman Gill
view comments
Location :
Manchester (UK)
First Published:
July 22, 2025, 16:11 IST
News cricket IND Vs ENG, 4th Test: India To Modify Template In Manchester After Injury Setbacks
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Rishabh Pant makes heartfelt gesture, pays college fees for underprivileged student
Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant has extended a generous helping hand to support the education of a student from a financially struggling family in Karnataka's Bagalkot district. The wicketkeeper-batter, who has represented India across all formats, directly stepped in to fund the student's higher education in an unexpected and heartening Kanabur Math, a resident of Rabkavi village in Bilagi taluk, had scored 85 per cent in her Pre-University Course (PUC) but was uncertain about her prospects for higher education due to financial constraints. She had secured admission for a Bachelor's in Computer Applications (BCA) course at the Bijapur Lingayat Education institution in Jamkhandi. However, her father, Teerthayya Kanabur Math, was unable to afford the college search of assistance, the family approached a local well-wisher named Anil, who then reached out to his cricketing contacts in Bengaluru. Coincidentally, the request eventually reached Rishabh Pant, who wasted no time in responding. He promptly paid the required fee of Rs 40,000 directly to the college, ensuring Jyoti could continue her education without by this life-changing gesture, Jyoti and the college management wrote a heartfelt letter of appreciation to the cricketer. In her message, Jyoti expressed her gratitude and shared her ambition to one day pay the kindness THE LETTER OF APPRECIATIONadvertisement"Namaste everyone, my name is Jyotika. My father's name is Teertaiya and my mother's name is Roopa. I stay in Rabkavi village in Jamkhandi. I completed my SSLC in a school in Belagavi and my PUC from a college in Belagavi.I wanted to pursue BCA, but due to financial problems, my parents approached Anil, a person from our village, to ask if there was any scholarship or financial help available. Anil then contacted his friend Akshay, who lives in Bangalore. Akshay brought my situation to the attention of Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant. Rishabh Pant transferred 40,000 so that I could pursue my BCA. I am very thankful to Rishabh Pant and pray to God to bless him with good health.I'm also grateful to Anil Anna and Akshay Naik sir. I will never forget their help.I want to become a software engineer and will make the best use of this opportunity.I also want to say: save the girl child and empower the girl after becoming a software engineer, I will also help poor children."Rishabh Pant was recently promoted as India's vice-captain in Test cricket. He was part of the team that toured England, but his stint was brought to a halt after he injured himself after the Manchester Test. - EndsTune InMust Watch
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Will Shubman Gill Replace Rohit Sharma As India Captain In ODI Cricket? Mohammad Kaif Says THIS
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has backed Shubman Gill to take over the ODI captaincy when Rohit Sharma decides to step down as the skipper in the format. Notably, Rohit, who is currently 38, will be approaching 40 by the start of the 2027 ODI World Cup and Kaif is not sure how long the veteran India opener would continue in the 50-over format. "He [Gill] will get the ODI captaincy as well because we don't know how long Rohit Sharma will continue as captain. Gill is ready to take over. He scores in white-ball. He has performed well as captain here in Tests and led from the front," Kaif said on his YouTube channel. "When you go with a young team, you have to do both things – score with the bat and do well as captain. A brilliant tour for him overall," he added. During the recently concluded England series which India drew 2-2, Gill was tested as a captain and he passed that flying colours. "Shubman Gill, as captain, created opportunities with both hands in this series. When he became captain, there were many questions as to why he was made captain, looking at his Test record. A young captain reached England under a lot of pressure with a young team. He answered with his bat and it came to a point where he was compared to breaking Sir Don Bradman's record. Such a strong comeback with the bat," Kaif said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ꮪhubman Gill (@shubmangill) After the gruelling 25 days of Test cricket, Team India will get a well-deserved break, with no Test or limited-over matches scheduled until the Asia Cup 2025, which starts in September. It's a rare lengthy break for the Indian cricket team and fans will have to wait for some time to see their favourite stars in action.
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Tragic Hero To Fountainhead: The Mohammed Siraj Show Lights Up The Oval
Every sporting contest has a hero and a tragic hero. But not many times a tragic hero turns into a fountainhead. Mohammad Siraj was India's fountainhead as the team clinched one of the most memorable Test wins ever against England at The Oval. But the massive performance came after several lows. When Mohammad Siraj crossed the ropes on Sunday evening after taking Harry Brook 's catch, he stood there with his face hidden in his palm and in utter disbelief. Prasidh Krishna had begun celebrating a moment that would not last long. After India won the Oval Test by 6 runs, in the middle of massive moments of joy, Mohammad Siraj opened up to the broadcasters - 'What happened to me last night with Harry Brook's catch was unbelievable. I woke up in the morning and checked Google on my phone and took out a 'Believe' emoji wallpaper and told myself that I will do it for the country'. It was the spirit of Siraj that propelled India as the team refused to surrender even after the pounding they got from Brook and Joe Root on the 4th day of the test. Siraj stood along the boundary asking the crowd to cheer for Team India. With less than 40 runs on the 4th day of Oval test, Team India roared back. Mohammad Siraj bowled a spell of unplayable deliveries the beat the Englishmen consistently. He inspired Prasidh Krishna to send Joe Root back. England needed 37 runs at that stage. In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj shouldered the responsibility of spearheading a depleted pace attack. He told Dinesh Karthik, 'I always believe that I can win the game from any point... My only plan was to bowl good areas. Didn't matter if I took wickets or went for runs." Siraj bowled more than any other bowler in the series, played all 5 tests and picked 23 wickets. There were times when he waged lonely battles. On Sunday evening, under grey Oval skies he bowled eight overs on the trot to keep the pressure on England. The boy from Hyderabad felt lonely and defeated at the end of the Lord's test after a passionate dive to drive India to a win where they fell short. He was a tragic hero at the end of the Lord's test. Jadeja asked him to remember his dad and play for him. Three weeks later... with a match haul of 9 wickets and a five-wicket haul, Siraj sang the redemption song. The 31-year-old right-arm fast bowler effectively drove the Indian attack by delivering 185.3 overs. After 25 days of intense test cricket in England, fans would be happy to zoom back on Siraj cam and watch the reels as they go viral.
