The Cricketer previews the final match of the four-Test series in Ahmedabad, with India leading the series 2-1
The final Test of the four-match series between India and England.
The fourth Test begins on March 4. The full schedule is below.
First Test: February 5-9 (9.30am local time, 4am GMT) - England won by 227 runs
Second Test: February 13-17 (9.30am local time, 4am GMT) – India won by 317 runs
Third Test: February 24-28 (2.30pm local time, 9am GMT) – India won by 10 wickets
Fourth Test: March 4-8 (9.30am local time, 4am GMT)
The fourth Test returns to the renamed Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, which staged the astonishing two-day third Test at the end of February.
Having won one Test each in Chennai, India drew first blood in Ahmedabad to take a 2-1 lead in the final match of the series.
Dafabet are backing India to win the final Test, offering odds of 2/5. England are at 7/2 to level the series while you can back a draw at 6/1.
Joe Root is tipped to be England’s highest run-scorer, with odds of 2/1. Despite not producing his best with the bat, Virat Kohli is 12/5 to be India’s top scorer while Ravichandran Ashwin is 6/4 to be the leading wicket-taker.
Chris Woakes is the only departure from the England camp. The 31-year old seamer hasn’t featured in either Sri Lanka or India and returned home ahead of the fourth Test. Woakes is expected back for the three-match ODI series, scheduled to start on March 23.
Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler and Sam Curran remain absent after returning home for their period of rest. The trio will re-join the squad ahead of the five-match T20 series, starting on March 12.
Rory Burns and Dan Lawrence will be back in contention after being left out of the third Test. Zak Crawley, replacing Burns, scored an impressive half-century in the first innings but Jonny Bairstow (replacing Lawrence) fell for a pair while Dom Sibley scored just seven runs at number two. With the top three falling for seven ducks in the series and spin accounting for 13 of the 18 wickets, England have a top order selection headache on their hands.
Dom Bess could also return to the starting XI having been rested for second match in Chennai and left out of the third Test. Spin bowling took 28 of the 30 wickets in Ahmedabad, making the conditions ideal to replace one of Archer, Anderson or Broad with the 23-year old.
Chris Woakes has left the bubble ahead of the fourth Test
India, meanwhile, are without seamer Jasprit Bumrah, who has been allowed to the leave bubble for personal reasons. The 27-year old took four wickets in the first Test in Chennai before being recalled for a cameo role in the third Test, finishing with figures of 0-19 off six overs. With only one Test remaining, no replacement has been called up.
After succeeding with spin in the previous Test, India are likely to once again let Ashwin and Axar Patel lead the bowling attack. The duo took 18 wickets in the third Test and conceded just 144 runs.
India’s third Test squad: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav
England's third Test squad: Joe Root, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Mark Wood
England reserves: James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi
After losing the third Test, England are out of contention for the World Test Championship final – Joe Root’s side needed to win the series 3-1 to qualify.
India are currently top of the table and will progress to the final at Lord’s with a win or a draw in the fourth Test.
However, if they lose, Australia will join New Zealand in the final owing to their superior points percentage.
Axar Patel (L) took 11 wickets in the third Test while Rohit Sharma hit the winning runs
Crowds are being allowed to watch the Test at the reconstructed Narendra Modi Stadium. The sold-out stadium will be operating at 50% capacity to allow social distancing to be in operation throughout the ground.
Channel 4 will broadcast the series in the United Kingdom, with the content available online via its streaming platform All 4. Highlights will be shown twice on More4 following the conclusion of play.
Radio coverage of the series will be provided by TalkSPORT2.
In India, the series will be broadcast on Star Sports.
SuperSport are showing the matches in South Africa.
Fox Sports and Kayo have footage of the Tests in Australia, which fans can following the action in New Zealand on Sky Sport 2.
Images courtesy of BCCI
This preview is brought to you in association with Dafabet India. For more on Dafabet and to place a bet, click here.
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