England won the toss and decided to bowl first in the 4th Test against India. This is a 5 match series. England captain Ben Stokes said they want to take advantage of the wet pitch and cloudy weather by bowling first.
India captain Shubman Gill said they’ve made 3 changes to the team. Anshul Kamboj, B Sai Sudharsan, and Shardul Thakur are in, replacing Akash Deep, Karun Nair, and Nitish Reddy. This is Anshul Kamboj’s first Test match for India; he is Test cap number 318.
England have made 1 change to the team from the last game, Liam Dawson is playing instead of Shoaib Bashir.
Here are the playing 11 for both teams:
India: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Anshul Kamboj
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Liam Dawson, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer
Match Conditions and Captain’s Decisions
England’s decision to bowl first shows they want to use the morning moisture and cloud cover to support their fast bowlers. Ben Stokes believes his bowlers can make early breakthroughs.
Shubman Gill’s changes indicate India are looking to try out new talent and maybe bring in more balance to the team. Anshul Kamboj getting his first Test shows the team is looking at young players.
Read Also:- Sanjay Bangar Praises Jasprit Bumrah Ahead of 4th Test
Player Spotlight: Anshul Kamboj
All eyes will be on Anshul Kamboj as he plays his first international match. Getting a Test cap is a big achievement and how he performs could be an important indicator for India’s future bowling options.
England’s Strategy with Liam Dawson
Bringing in Liam Dawson instead of Shoaib Bashir gives England another spin option. Dawson’s experience could be helpful on a pitch that may turn as the game goes on.
Key Players to Watch* For India: KL Rahul’s experience at the top will be crucial. Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling will be key to getting early wickets.
- For England: Joe Root’s middle order batting and Jofra Archer’s pace will be important. Ben Stokes’ captaincy and all round skills will also be big.
Game Flow
The first session will be crucial, England’s bowlers will try to put India under pressure early. As the pitch dries up, batting will get easier. Spin could play a bigger role as the game goes on.
This Test match is big for both teams. England will want to keep the lead in the series, India will want to level the series.
