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5 talking points ahead of 4th ENG vs IND Test: Who will win? | Key talking points ahead of the 4th ENG vs IND Test at The Oval
Cricket is indeed a great leveler. The Indian team that won the second Test in an emphatic manner at Lord’s went on to be handed an innings defeat by the home side at Headingley. With the series well poised at 1-1, we can hope for some nail-biting contests in the remaining two Tests.
There are a few things to talk about ahead of the fourth Test at the Oval. In this article, I am going to mention five such key points. Here we go.
Ishant Sharma’s ineffectiveness
Ishant Sharma was India’s best seamer in the England tour back in 2018. He handled the Dukes ball in an exemplary manner and picked 18 wickets from five games at an average of 24.28 and a strike rate of 50.33.
However, he has looked a pale shadow of his former self in this series. He took a fair amount of time to get his line and length right in the Lord’s Test and bowled a really good spell in the 2nd session of the last day as well. But at Leeds, he didn’t seem to be in rhythm at all. He was bowling short and giving width to the English batsmen on most occasions; something we have seen rarely from him in the last 5-6 years.
Be it his age or fitness, something is not right with him. As an Indian fan, I personally had expected much better from him prior to the commencement of the series. But, unfortunately it seems that we might not see the best version of Ishant Sharma in England this time.
Is Jos Buttler’s absence a blessing in disguise for England?
Jos Buttler was one of England’s best batsmen in the last summer as he scored 416 runs in six Tests at a really good average of 52. But, his struggle with the bat was clearly visible in the three Tests this summer against India.
The Indian seamers have found a way to get him out and Buttler has not scored a single fifty in this series. As he is unavailable for the remaining Tests owing to personal reasons, this has definitely opened the door for England to go with another batsman in their middle order. This could definitely boost their batting lineup considering Buttler’s poor form with the bat and hence his absence can prove to be a “blessing in disguise” for England.
The standout performance of Ollie Robinson
In a time when England were deprived of the services of Stuart Broad, the young Ollie Robinson took the responsibility of being James Anderson’s deputy and has performed magnificently so far.
Robinson has proved to be the best bowler in the series as he has picked 16 wickets at a splendid average of 19.06 and a terrific strike rate of 43.81. He has kept the Indian batsmen quiet and picked wickets in crucial stages. Also, he has troubled the legendary Virat Kohli and dismissed him twice which definitely speaks volumes for his immense potential with the ball.
All eyes will again be on him and I am eagerly waiting to see the battle between he and Virat Kohli in the fourth Test. Looking at his form and confidence, I won’t be surprised if he ends up being the highest wicket taker in the series.
Rohit Sharma has outclassed all India batters
You wouldn’t have believed if I had told you that Rohit Sharma would be the most dependable batsman for India at the start of this series. The way Rohit has adapted to his role of an opening batsman in Tests is commendable. He has shown a strong determination to bat for a long time and his defensive technique has been really impressive so far.
Yes, he has got out playing the pull shot a couple of times, but as far as surviving the hostile spells are concerned, he has done a fabulous job. He has provided India a solid start in every game so far and I feel a hundred is just around the corner for him.
India’s selection conundrum
There are some questions regarding India’s possible XI in the fourth Test. The vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has looked ordinary barring one knock of 61 in the 2nd innings of the Lord’s Test. So there is a possibility that he might get replaced by someone like Hanuma Vihari or Suryakumar Yadav.
Although Ravindra Jadeja hasn’t been amongst the wickets, his ability with the bat assures him a spot in the XI if fit. As I have already mentioned, Ishant Sharma looked completely ineffective in the third test. So, There is a strong possibility of him R Ashwin replacing him. Also, India might want to rest one of their three fast bowlers viz. Bumrah, Shami and Siraj to manage the workload and bring either Umesh Yadav or Shardul Thakur into the XI.
Personally, I would like to see Ashwin and Umesh in place of Ishant and Shami respectively. I prefer Bumrah to play in order to provide the control with the ball.
Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.
