Last Updated on 6 years by Charbel Coorey
The series has taken shape, and is well and truly alive.
That is absolutely fantastic for Test Cricket. Even better, you just can’t be sure which way the fourth Test will go. Will England bounce back well again at home after a Test defeat? Or will India continue on from their excellent win at Trent Bridge?
Despite England’s concerns at the top of the order, what will give their fans hope is indeed their ability to bounce back well following defeats at home. After being pummeled by Australia at Lord’s in the 2015 Ashes, England then pummeled Australia at Birmingham and Nottingham. Against South Africa last year, England were whacked at Trent Bridge, and then backed up well at The Oval. The same happened after a shock loss v West Indies last year. Against Pakistan this year, England lost the first Test, and then bounced back to level the series. Can they continue this pattern here?
For India, they are aiming to emulate Don Bradman’s 1936-37 team and come back from 2-0 down to win a series 3-2. Of course, with two Tests to go, that is still a long way away, and the focus needs to be on repeating the fantastic form they showed at Trent Bridge. The pitch was not easy to bat on by any means, but the batsmen, led by Virat Kohli, showed a lot more stomach for the fight after the abomination at Lord’s. In the bowling department, just about all the bowlers starred at some point, putting England’s batsmen under serious pressure. We are set for a fascinating fourth Test.
Key to an England win
Yes, it’s all well and good to hold hope in England’s bounce back abilities at home, but the top order need to put this into action.
England’s openers, Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings, inspire as much confidence as Arsenal Football Club’s defence right now. Joe Root has not managed a Test century in over a year, and Jonny Bairstow will be playing with what certainly won’t be a 100% finger. With a middle order capable of causing damage, England’s top four need to ensure that Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali and Sam Curran aren’t left with damage to repair.
And speaking of Sam Curran, his inclusion in the side is a boost for England. Leaving him out at Trent Bridge, given his form and India’s struggles against his angle, was controversial, but he’s back to play a key role in England’s attack. With six genuine options up Joe Root’s sleeve, England must look at consistently maintaining the pressure on India’s batsmen, over after over.
Also, England’s slip fielding was absolutely horrible at Trent Bridge, and it’s something they must sort out.
Key to an India win
At Lord’s, India lost their first wicket for no runs in both innings. At Trent Bridge, this figure ballooned to 60.
Openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan certainly didn’t score large, but what they managed to do was get India in the game, especially on the first morning. Making England work hard was the name of the game for India at Trent Bridge, and they were rewarded with runs. Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane played their most significant innings of the series, supporting the magnificent Virat Kohli. The same from the top five is vital here, giving the likes of Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya freedom to express themselves with the bat.
Also, India’s bowling looked a very well oiled machine. On this form, they could even threaten on the pancakes that are Australian pitches, given their attacking mindset. The addition of Jasprit Bumrah has taken India to another level, and with Ishant Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Ravichandran Ashwin bowling really well, India have it in them to cause trouble for England again.
Key battles
- Ishant Sharma v Alastair Cook: The England opener is really struggling with the ball curving away from around the wicket. His edge can be found with alarming ease at the moment, so it will be interesting to see what approach Cook takes in the fourth Test. Will he bat outside his crease and perhaps move more towards off stump?
- Jasprit Bumrah v Joe Root: The England captain was sure to have nightmares about Jasprit Bumrah after the third Test. Because of the angle Bumrah creates, Joe Root was playing at deliveries he was leaving comfortably against other bowlers. This led to his demise, and makes for a fascinating fourth Test battle.
- India v Sam Curran: The likes of James Anderson will certainly be a threat, but how well will India play Sam Curran? Left-arm seam has been a problem for India’s batsmen in this series, and Curran is a fantastic replacement for Chris Woakes. Not getting the front pad too far across is key to avoiding LBW, and watching the seam closely is vital to knowing which way it will go. I can’t wait for the contest.
Possible teams
England have confirmed their side. Moeen Ali comes in for Ollie Pope and Sam Curran in for Chris Woakes. Joe Buttler will take the gloves in this game, given Jonny Bairstow’s finger injury.
England XI: 1. Alastair Cook, 2. Keaton Jennings, 3. Joe Root (c), 4. Jonny Bairstow, 5. Ben Stokes, 6. Jos Buttler (wk), 7. Moeen Ali, 8. Sam Curran, 9. Adil Rashid, 10. Stuart Broad, 11. James Anderson
For India, will they go with the same XI for the first time under Virat Kohli’s captaincy? The pitch could take spin later in the Test which might tempt India to play Ravindra Jadeja.
India possible XI: 1. Shikhar Dhawan, 2. KL Rahul, 3. Cheteshwar Pujara, 4. Virat Kohli (c), 5. Ajinkya Rahane, 6. Rishabh Pant (wk), 7. Hardik Pandya, 8. Ravichandran Ashwin, 9. Mohammed Shami, 10. Ishant Sharma, 11. Jasprit Bumrah
Stats and Facts
- Virat Kohli needs six runs to reach 6,000 in Tests. If he achieves it in the first innings, he will be outright sixth fastest ever to the mark.
- Ishant Sharma is one wicket away from 250 in Tests.
Prediction
Wow, what a difficult match to predict. England often bounce back well at home, and India were absolutely superb at Trent Bridge.
I predicted the series result will end up 2-2, and I will stick to it, backing India to continue their excellent form to win this Test and take us to a decider!
Thanks for reading!
