India v England, 4th Test Preview: England face must win situation

The last time England came to the Wankhede Stadium, they beat India pretty easily by 10 wickets and levelled the series after losing the opening Test at Ahmedabad. This time around, the situation is different and they probably don’t seem to be threatening enough to make any such a turnaround.

It was way back in 1954 when an English cricket team came back from 0-2 to draw a Test series. So, the number are obviously stacked against them. Unlike 2012, it will be more about saving the series and staying in the contest. With festivities around the corner, Alastair Cook & Co. must make sure they emulate their 2012 exploits in the upcoming game starting from tomorrow if they wish to keep their moods high.

India looks on track to secure their fifth consecutive win and lengthen their unbeaten streak. The hosts are unbeaten at home for 17 consecutive Test matches at present. However, injury problems have bogged them down a bit. This can be a cause of concern but the core of the team has continued to remain intact which has ensured that the team performances never got damaged badly. With only victory away from a series win, the hosts will surely look forward to pressing for a win and take home the honours.

India:

Injury problems are the biggest unwanted baggage India seems to be carrying at the moment. It has not only created a bit of selection dilemma but has also affected the team combination, not allowing a playing XI to settle down, causing shuffle every now and then.

The biggest news from the Indian camp is perhaps the return of KL Rahul in the playing XI. After having missed the previous game due to a forearm injury, he seems to be perfectly fit to join the proceedings tomorrow. Murali Vijay looked doubtful due to a back problem but is match ready. Ajinkya Rahane has fractured his index finger and thus is out of the series that will ensure Karun Nair, who made his Test debut last game, will retain his place.

Also, Parthiv Patel, who made his comeback after eight long years, will get another chance to play as Wriddhiman Saha is still recovering from the thigh strain that ruled him out of the last Test. Patel, however, will have to go down the batting order at No.7.

Ishant Sharma has been released for his wedding. A call on the fitness of Mohammad Shami will be made tomorrow morning. In case, Shami doesn’t make it, then we will see Bhuvneshwar Kumar come in his place. Otherwise, the bowling lineup will be the same.

England:

After Haseeb Hameed, another uncapped batsman Keaton Jennings will get a chance to show his worth as a Test cricketer. The left-hander, who is fresh from a century for England Lions in the UAE, will make his debut replacing injured Hameed. The 24-year-old Jennings will become the 11th opening partner Cook has had in the past four years since the retirement of Andrew Strauss.

Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow have looked like the only batsmen capable of making runs with some consistency. The all-rounder, in particular, has been grinding it out tirelessly in both the departments.

Chris Woakes was diagnosed with a cracked right thumb after being hit by a bouncer while batting in Mohali but is expected to be fit. Fast bowler Stuart Broad’s chances of playing tomorrow is also been stated as 50:50. If he doesn’t play, then England will have to manage with only James Anderson, Woakes and Stokes.

Match Details

Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Start date: December 8, 2016

Time: 09:30 IST

Probable XI:

India:

KL Rahul, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Karun Nair, Parthiv Patel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Mohammad Shami/Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav

England:

Alastair Cook (C), Keaton Jennings, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson/Gareth Batty, James Anderson

 Stats:

• In the last 50 years, 14 England batsmen have made more than 300 runs in a series in India. Alastair Cook is one of them and he can do so again, along with Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes

• England has won their last two matches at the Wankhede Stadium. India has won 10 out of 24 matches at the venue

• In the nine Tests at Wankhede over the last 20 years, no fast bowler has picked up a five-wicket haul. In the same period, the spinners have 13

• Virat Kohli needs 41 runs to complete 4000 in Test cricket. He would be the sixth-fastest Indian to the mark in terms of innings played; Virender Sehwag, with 79, is at the top

• Moeen Ali has taken 95 wickets and needs 5 more to reach the 100 wickets milestone, and also the 1,000 runs/100 wickets milestones

• Ravindra Jadeja has taken 95 wickets and needs 5 more to reach the 100 wickets milestone

• Ben Stokes has scored 1,824 runs and needs another 176 to reach the 2,000 runs milestone

• Alastair Cook has scored 10,934 runs and needs 66 more to become the tenth player to reach the 11,000 runs milestone
• The Indian skipper Virat Kohli needs 35 more runs to reach the 1000-run milestone in this calendar year. He will be the first Indian to do so this year. Kohli will also be the first Indian to score 1000 Test runs in a calendar year since Rahul Dravid who made 1145 runs in 2011.