ENG vs IND: 3 Indian Players who might be dropped from Fourth Test in Manchester
India suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the third test at Lord's by 22 runs. The visitors dominated the game for more than three days, but the batting collapse in the chase cost them the result. That defeat has given a lead to England in the series, and they just need one more win.
India have only two wins in the last 11 matches, which is a horrible streak to have. If they lose the fourth game, it will be another series loss, and their chances for the WTC final will be hurt. The fourth game is scheduled to be played at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, between July 23 and 27.
India need this win anyhow to stay in the series. Coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill will be under immense pressure. That is when we might see some chopping and changing to the team. Here we will be talking about the three possible exclusions from the team for the fourth ENG vs IND test.
Three Indian players who might be dropped from the fourth ENG vs IND test
1. Karun Nair
Before the ENG vs IND test series, there was a lot of talk about Karun Nair. It was because of the loads of runs he scored wherever he played. With the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, India need a solid batter in the batting order. That is why Karun got his chances.
He has been given a decent run of three tests but has yet to get a good score. In six matches. Nair has scored 131 runs in three tests at an average of 21.83. He has had starts, but he has yet to convert them into a big one. India have the option of Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan. Hence, India can opt to drop Karun Nair for the fourth test and give one of these two a chance.
2. Akashdeep
Akashdeep have a dream second test in Birmingham, where he finished with ten wickets across two innings. But he was unlucky in the third test and took only one wicket. Though he bowled some good spells, India might look to drop him from the fourth game.
India have the option of Arshdeep Singh, who is a proven match-winner in the white-ball format. He bowls at good speed and has the ability of swing both ways. With Arshdeep, India will also get an option of left-arm pacer, which can be crucial against right-handers. He can also play a vital role with the new ball. However, India might rest Jasprit Bumrah or Akashdeep to bring in Arshdeep for the playing XI.
3. Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar bowled a game-changing spell in the third innings at Lord's, taking 4/22. That helped India restrict England to a low score. Though India couldn't win the game but he was superb with the ball. However, his contribution with the bat and ball before that was not as he would have liked.
India brought him over, Kuldeep Yadav, to increase the batting depth. Despite that, they were not able to chase 193 in the third game. Hence, India can consider to add Kuldeep to the fourth game. The wrist spinner is among the genuine wicket-takers and can be effective irrespective of the pitch. He can be handy at Old Trafford, which tends to slow down as the game progresses.