Injury-hit India look to break Old Trafford jinx in fourth Test
The visitors, trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, are yet to win a Test at this venue in nine previous attempts — with four losses and five draws — and will aim to level the series in Manchester.
India captain Shubman Gill speaks with coach Gautam Gambhir and selector Ajit Agarkar during a net session at Emirates Old Trafford on July 21, 2025 in Manchester. (Photo: Getty Images)
INDIA may be forced to shift from its usual playing combination when it faces England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford starting Wednesday, with key injuries disrupting its settled approach.
The visitors, trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, are yet to win a Test at this venue in nine previous attempts — with four losses and five draws — and will aim to level the series in Manchester.
India had fielded three all-rounders in the eleven after the first Test in Leeds, including Nitish Reddy, who has now been ruled out of the remainder of the tour with a knee injury.
With spin-bowling all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar providing batting depth till number eight, India’s balance could be tested. The team may not have that luxury at Old Trafford.
Shardul likely replacement for Reddy
Shardul Thakur, who played the opening Test, is the likely replacement for Reddy, though he does not offer the same batting contributions. He will also need to deliver with the ball, as Reddy had taken important wickets at Lord’s.
India could revert to the combination used in Leeds, where only Jadeja played as a spinner and the batting line-up extended to number six, featuring Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan.
Uncapped pacer Anshul Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna are also options if Akash Deep does not recover in time from a groin injury. Kamboj, who was part of the India A tour of England, showed promise during the team’s first outdoor training session and can generate seam movement similar to Deep.
Fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are set to retain their spots in the eleven.
Top order eyes recovery after Lord’s loss
India’s batting unit faltered at Lord’s for the first time in the series. Captain Shubman Gill, despite a low score in the third Test, has scored over 600 runs so far and will look to return to form.
Jofra Archer dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal twice at Lord’s, and the Indian opener will be aiming to adjust to the England pacer’s speed in the upcoming match.
KL Rahul has looked composed throughout the series and remains a key part of the top order. Rishabh Pant appears to have recovered from a finger injury and is expected to resume his dual role behind the stumps and in the middle order.
Nair, if selected again, will aim to convert his starts into a significant score. Jadeja, who has scored four consecutive 50-plus innings, will be expected to contribute more with the ball.
India last played a Test at Old Trafford in 2014, and the last Indian century at the ground came from Sachin Tendulkar in 1990.
England, meanwhile, go into the fourth Test with the series lead and unchanged confidence.
England unchanged apart from Dawson in for Bashir
England captain Ben Stokes named his playing eleven ahead of the game, with Liam Dawson replacing injured spinner Shoaib Bashir. Dawson last played a Test in July 2017.
The weather forecast includes light rain throughout the five days, and the recent rainfall in Manchester could leave moisture on the surface for the fast bowlers early on.
Tensions between the two teams have increased through the series. Gill addressed his exchange with England openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley on day three at Lord’s.
"The English batsmen on that day had seven minutes of play left. They were 90 seconds late to come to the place. Not 10, not 20, 90 seconds late," Gill said. "Yes, most of the teams use this. Even if we were in a position, we would have also liked to play fewer overs, but there's a manner to do it.
"If you get hit on your body, the physios are allowed to come on and that is something that is fair. But to be able to come 90 seconds late on the grass is not something that I would think comes in the spirit of the game."
England batter Harry Brook said, “Every game we’ve played so far has gone into the last hour of the game, which you do not see very often. I’ve had a lot of people come up to me saying ‘it’s been an amazing series, thank you’. Everybody said that the Lord’s game was one of the best games that they’ve watched, so it’s been an amazing series and I’m looking forward to the rest of it.”
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (vc), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Liam Dawson, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer.
Rohit used his experience to get through a testing spell from Josh Hazlewood before finding his rhythm, hitting seven fours and two sixes in his 97-ball innings. (Photo: Getty Images)
Rohit Sharma scored 73 in India’s total of 264-9 against Australia
Virat Kohli dismissed for a duck for the second match in a row
Shreyas Iyer hit 61 in a 118-run stand with Rohit
Adam Zampa took 4-60 for Australia
ROHIT SHARMA scored 73 as India made 264-9 in the second one-day international against Australia on Thursday, while Virat Kohli was dismissed for a duck for the second match in a row.
With Australia having won the rain-affected opening game in Perth by seven wickets, they can seal the three-match series with another win.
Rohit used his experience to get through a testing spell from Josh Hazlewood before finding his rhythm, hitting seven fours and two sixes in his 97-ball innings.
Shreyas Iyer (61) added useful support in a 118-run stand with Rohit after Australian captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and chose to field at a sold-out Adelaide Oval.
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa was the most successful bowler with 4-60.
Hazlewood bowled tightly early on, delivering 13 dot balls in a row, before Xavier Bartlett provided the breakthrough. Playing in place of Nathan Ellis, Bartlett dismissed Shubman Gill, who advanced down the pitch and chipped a catch to Marsh at mid-off.
Kohli then came in, looking for runs after an eight-ball duck in Perth, but he was out for another duck, trapped lbw by Bartlett after four deliveries. India were 17-2 after seven overs. It was the first time Kohli had been dismissed for consecutive ducks in his ODI career.
Rohit steadied the innings and hit two sixes in three balls off Mitchell Owen in the 19th over as he reached his 59th half-century from 74 balls.
Iyer completed his fifty from 67 deliveries before Marsh brought back Mitchell Starc, who removed Rohit in the first over of his second spell when Hazlewood caught a mis-timed pull shot in the deep.
Iyer fell three overs later to Zampa, edging onto his stumps. Zampa also dismissed KL Rahul (11), Axar Patel (44) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (8) as India closed on 264-9.
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