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Big picture: Joe Root looks to bounce back
England have not lost a Test series in the Bazball era. Of the seven completed series in this period, they won four and drew three. However, that could change over the next five days as India – after trouncing England by 434 runs in Rajkot – go into the fourth Test in Ranchi with a lead of 2-1.
At various points in the series, India’s batting line-up has looked shaky. But with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill back among runs, and Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel making impressive debuts, it no longer seems to be an issue.
Another positive for England is that Stokes seems ready to resume bowling. Given the England captain’s ability to provide breakthroughs, the prospect must be mouthwatering, but the visitors will be wary of plucking the fruit before it is ripe.
Form guide
India WWLWL (last five Tests, most recent first)
England LLWWD
In the spotlight: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jonny Bairstow
Team news: England bring in Robinson and Bashir
India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Rajat Patidar, 5 Sarfaraz Khan, 6 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Mukesh Kumar/Akash Deep
England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Tom Hartley, 9 Ollie Robinson, 10 James Anderson, 11 Shoaib Bashir
Pitch and conditions: Rain in the air
The Ranchi pitch looks far more spin-friendly than any of the previous ones in the series. Stokes described it as “very dark and crumbly”. Ollie Pope noted that one half – if you cut it vertically – had significantly more cracks than the other. More grass was shaved off on Thursday. On the weather front, there is a forecast for showers on the third and fifth days of the Test.
Stats and trivia: Anderson on the cusp of 700
- James Anderson is only four away from 700 Test wickets. Only Muthiah Muralidaran (800) and Shane Warne (708) have taken more.
- Stokes is three short of 200 Test wickets. When he reaches there, he will be only the third allrounder after Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis to complete the double of 6000 runs and 200 wickets.
- Bairstow is 94 away from 6000 Test runs, and Rohit Sharma 23 from 4000.
- Ravindra Jadeja, who completed 3000 Test runs in the previous game, is closing in on 300 Test wickets as well. He needs 13 more to become the seventh Indian to get there.
Quotes
“We have been having a lot of conversations with him [Rajat Patidar]. One thing he needs to understand is that this is how this game goes. He has been batting really well, he has scored a lot of runs to get into the team, and he doesn’t become a bad player after two games. He has had a few tough games, awkward dismissals where the ball has stopped on him, which can happen – this is how this game goes. But I have absolutely no doubt that he is a good player and on his day he will come up with a very impactful innings.”
India batting coach Vikram Rathour backs Patidar
“There is going to be assistance for the spinners, but also the seam [bowlers] because of the dryness and cracks in the wicket. The way Jimmy [Anderson] and Robbo [Robinson] operate, zoning in on an area consistently, Robbo’s release point, I think we’re giving ourselves a good chance if it is spinning; we also have the chance to take wickets with the quick bowlers if there is some variable bounce.”
England captain Ben Stokes on the pitch
Hemant Brar is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
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