With the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy hanging in the balance, India return to the red-ball battlefield on Wednesday for a must-win fourth Test against hosts England at Old Trafford, Manchester. Down 1-2 in the five-match series, the visitors have little room for error. Victory would level the series and set up a mouth-watering decider at The Oval. Defeat, however, would hand England the series and compound India’s misery on a tour riddled with injuries and inconsistency.
India's Injury Woes Deepen
Already depleted, India suffered another setback with skipper Shubman Gill confirming pacer Akash Deep’s exclusion due to a groin niggle. With Arshdeep Singh ruled out earlier and Nitish Kumar Reddy flying home, India’s pace reserves have worn thin.
Akash Deep has a groin niggle and is not available for this match. Anshul Kamboj is very close to making his debut.
The uncapped Haryana pacer Kamboj, who impressed in practice, could slot in as India’s third seamer alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, although Prasidh Krishna remains in contention.
Gill, leading India in just his fourth Test as captain, acknowledged the difficulty of dealing with ever-changing team combinations. “It’s not ideal to change your XI every game, but it’s something I prepared for. We had expected a few curveballs along the way,” he said.
Gill, Pant, Bumrah: India’s Key Hopes
While Yashasvi Jaiswal continues to deliver with the bat and KL Rahul returns to open, all eyes will be on Rishabh Pant. The southpaw’s rollercoaster series—two stunning centuries, a costly mistake at Lord’s, and a brave knock with an injured hand—has embodied India’s highs and lows.
In the absence of frontline pacers, Bumrah’s ability to generate magic may prove crucial on a surface expected to offer bounce and pace.
England Aim to Finish the Job
Ben Stokes’ England, meanwhile, are brimming with belief. After grinding out a win at Lord’s, the hosts had eight days to recover—and recharge.
It’s a massive series, and heat will be shown. We won’t purposely start anything, but we won’t take any backward step.
The return of Jofra Archer has already paid dividends, as the speedster made a fiery impact despite limited overs under his belt over the last four years. However, England have lost Shoaib Bashir to a broken hand. His place goes to the in-form Liam Dawson, returning to Test cricket after eight years, with 12 of his 15 five-wicket hauls coming since 2021.
Stokes also defended England’s sluggish over-rate at Lord’s, citing Bashir’s injury and the heavy load on the fast bowlers. “We had to go seam-heavy on day five, and tired bodies slow things down,” he explained.
Weather, Pitch and the Stakes
The Manchester pitch promises carry and bounce with the Dukes ball assisting seamers. But the weather could intervene, with rain forecast for days one, two and the final day.
India have bounced back from 0-2 before — against West Indies in 1974–75 and Australia in 1977–78—but lost both deciders. This time, history beckons again, but so does the possibility of England sealing the deal. For both teams, Old Trafford may not be the final frontier — but it is certainly the defining one.
Probable XIs: 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
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Anshul Kamboj/Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj
