An injury-hit Team India will have to rethink its combination as it gears up to face a resurgent England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester, starting Wednesday (July 23, 2025). Trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, India must win to stay alive, but their record at this historic venue offers little comfort—no wins in nine previous outings, with four defeats and five draws.
Team India Hit by Injuries, Combination Uncertain
India had finally settled on a balanced combination after the Leeds Test, with three all-rounders—Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Reddy—providing depth with both bat and ball. However, Reddy’s knee injury has ruled him out of the rest of the series, forcing a rethink.
Shardul Thakur is the likely replacement, but while he adds seam-bowling depth, his batting doesn’t quite match Reddy’s impact. The team may revert to the Leeds strategy, using only one spinner (Jadeja) and playing more specialist batters, such as Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan.
With pacer Akash Deep nursing a groin injury, uncapped seamer Anshul Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna are in the mix. Kamboj, part of the India A tour to England, impressed in the nets and could debut if conditions suit.
India’s bowling will again be led by the reliable Jasprit Bumrah and the ever-resilient Mohammed Siraj.
Batting Needs Course Correction
After a solid run, India’s batting stumbled for the first time in the third Test at Lord’s. Skipper Shubman Gill, despite a rare failure in that match, remains India’s top scorer in the series with over 600 runs. He’ll be looking to return to form, especially against Jofra Archer, who dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal twice at Lord’s.
KL Rahul has arguably been the most composed batter in the series, adapting beautifully to English conditions. Meanwhile, Karun Nair, if picked again, will hope to convert his starts into a big knock.
Ravindra Jadeja has been a consistent performer with the bat, scoring four consecutive 50+ scores, but will need to make a bigger impact with the ball in Manchester.
Rishabh Pant Set to Return
Rishabh Pant looks set to return to full duties after recovering from a finger injury. He’ll play a crucial dual role as wicketkeeper and middle-order batter in this high-stakes encounter.
History and Conditions Not on India’s Side
India’s last appearance at Old Trafford was in 2014, and the last century by an Indian at this venue came from none other than Sachin Tendulkar in 1990. The weather, too, may play a role—with light rain forecast across all five days and moisture expected to aid fast bowlers early on.
England Look Settled, Bring in Liam Dawson
England, who took the lead after a thrilling win at Lord’s, have named their XI in advance as is their custom. The only change sees Liam Dawson coming in for the injured Shoaib Bashir. Dawson, a left-arm spinner, last played Test cricket in 2017. The rest of the squad, including captain Ben Stokes and pace spearhead Jofra Archer, remains unchanged.
Tempers High, Series Heats Up
With tensions rising between the two teams, the series has already produced several thrilling finishes. England batter Harry Brook summed it up well:
“Every game has gone into the last hour, which is rare. People keep telling me it’s been one of the best series they’ve seen. The Lord’s Test was especially special. I’m excited for the rest of it.”
India Squad: Shubman Gill (capt), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj.
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (vc), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Liam Dawson, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer.
