After a heartbreaking 22-run loss at Lord’s in the third Test, the Indian men’s cricket team will be desperate to bounce back in the fourth match and level the five-Test series. The next red-ball clash is set to take place at Old Trafford, Manchester, from July 23 to 27.
Bumrah Likely to Be Rested
India’s pace spearhead and world No. 1 Test bowler Jasprit Bumrah is expected to be rested as part of workload management. Prior to the series, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and captain Shubman Gill, along with Bumrah himself, had stated he would play only three of the five Tests in England.
Since Bumrah has already featured in two of the three matches, the Manchester Test could be the one he skips—saving his return for the final game at The Oval (July 31 to August 4).
Pant’s Availability in Doubt
India might also be without Rishabh Pant, who injured his finger on Day 1 at Lord’s. He didn’t keep wicket after the first 34 overs and his recovery status remains uncertain. If ruled out, Dhruv Jurel is expected to take the gloves once again.
Jurel, the 24-year-old from Agra, looked sharp behind the stumps in the third Test. He has played four Tests so far, scoring 202 runs in six innings, including a solid 90 against England in Ranchi last year.
Karun Nair May Face the Axe
Middle-order batter Karun Nair could lose his place after a string of poor performances. He might be replaced by Sai Sudharsan, who played the series opener in Leeds but was benched for the next two games.
Arshdeep Singh Set for Debut in England?
With Bumrah likely out, Akash Deep may retain his spot despite a modest showing at Lord’s, where he took just one wicket. But India could consider bringing in Arshdeep Singh to add left-arm pace variety to the attack.
Among the other options in the squad are Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, and Kuldeep Yadav, but the team management might prefer Arshdeep for the balance he offers.
India’s Likely Playing XI for the 4th Test
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- KL Rahul
- Sai Sudharsan
- Shubman Gill (C)
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Dhruv Jurel (WK)
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Washington Sundar
- Arshdeep Singh
- Akash Deep
- Mohammed Siraj
With the series hanging in the balance, India will be keen to come out strong and force a decider at The Oval. All eyes will be on Manchester as the team looks to regroup and respond.
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