IND vs ENG 2024: Rohit Sharma set to break Gautam Gambhir's Test record

With the series against England firmly secured, a poised India team is all set to lock horns in the fifth and final Test at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala, commencing on March 7. India took an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series a few days back, with a convincing five-wicket win in the fourth Test in Ranchi.

Since India are gearing up for the series finale, captain Rohit Sharma will have an opportunity to surpass former cricketer Gautam Gambhir. With 4034 runs in 58 Tests, Rohit needs to score just 121 more to surpass Gambhir's 4154 runs in the same number of Tests. The 36-year-old batter's average is 44.82, while the former batter maintained an average of 41.95 during his career. 

A confident India will aim to finish the five-match Test series on a winning note. Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, and pacer Akash Deep made their Test debuts under Rohit, who showed his faith in the debutants, in the absence of key players like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Mohammed Shami. The youngsters have played a key role in India's significant series win against England in the 'Bazball' era under captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.

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Devdutt Padikkal likely to make his Test debut against England

If KL Rahul is unable to recover in time, young batter Devdutt Padikkal is reportedly set to make his Test debut against England in the fifth and final Test in Dharamshala. Rahul featured in the opening Test of the series in Hyderabad, which India unexpectedly lost by 28 runs. However, he was unable to play in the next three matches due to an acute soreness in his right quadriceps. The 31-year-old later travelled to London to consult a doctor, the same person who had performed surgery on his quadriceps last year.

Also read: IND vs ENG 2024: Devdutt Padikkal likely to make Test debut in Dharamsala

Following the Ranchi Test, skipper Rohit Sharma, head coach Rahul Dravid, and the other members of the coaching staff met with selectors chairman Ajit Agarkar. They decided to proceed with Padikkal after Rahul made the decision to consult a specialist in London.