By The high-stakes IND vs ENG 4th Test at Old Trafford kicked off with England winning the toss and choosing to bowl first on a fresh Manchester pitch. With the series delicately poised, both teams have made critical changes to their playing elevens to adapt to form, injuries, and conditions.
Team Changes Ahead of the Fourth Test
England have made one enforced change to their lineup. Liam Dawson replaces Shoaib Bashir, who suffered a finger injury during the third Test at Lord’s. The left-arm spinner returns to Test cricket after a long absence, bringing added depth to England’s spin and all-round options.
Also Read: India Suffer Major Blow as Nitish Reddy Injured Ahead of 4th Test
On the other hand, India have undergone a major reshuffle with three changes to their playing XI:
- Sai Sudharsan comes in for Karun Nair, adding fresh energy to the top order.
- Nitish Reddy is ruled out due to a knee injury, with Shardul Thakur returning to balance the side.
- Akash Deep also misses out due to a back injury, giving Anshul Kamboj a debut cap in Test cricket.
Playing XIs – IND vs ENG 4th Test at Old Trafford
| 🇮🇳 India | 🇬🇧 England |
|---|---|
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Zak Crawley |
| KL Rahul | Ben Duckett |
| Sai Sudharsan | Ollie Pope |
| Shubman Gill (c) | Joe Root |
| Rishabh Pant (wk) | Harry Brook |
| Ravindra Jadeja | Ben Stokes (c) |
| Washington Sundar | Jamie Smith (wk) |
| Shardul Thakur | Liam Dawson |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Chris Woakes |
| Mohammed Siraj | Brydon Carse |
| Anshul Kamboj | Jofra Archer |
With England holding a 2–1 series lead, the pressure is on India to level the series in Manchester. The visitors have opted for a slightly deeper batting lineup, while debutant Anshul Kamboj adds a fresh pace option. England, meanwhile, will look to seal the series on home turf, backed by a well-rounded pace unit and spin from Dawson.
All eyes will now be on how India’s revamped top order handles the new-ball threat in seaming conditions and whether England can convert early pressure into a match-winning position.
