India Aims for Series Draw Against England in Final Test at The Oval
Final Test Match Preview
The much-anticipated final Test between England and India is set to commence on Thursday at The Oval. Led by Shubman Gill, Team India is determined to secure a series draw, which would undoubtedly boost their morale as they conclude their tour of the UK.
After a thrilling draw at Old Trafford, where Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar each scored centuries, India enters this match with a psychological edge. England's bowlers faced a tough challenge as Jadeja and Sundar celebrated their well-earned centuries. Historically, India has struggled at The Oval, with only two wins, six losses, and seven draws.
A significant storyline for this match is the absence of England's captain Ben Stokes, who is sidelined due to a right shoulder injury. Ollie Pope will take over the captaincy, having previously led the team to three victories and one loss during Stokes' absence last year. England will certainly miss Stokes, known for his ability to turn games around.
In a pre-match press conference, Stokes expressed his disappointment regarding his injury, stating, “I have a decent tear in one of the muscles I can’t pronounce. We took as long as we could to make the decision around that. There’s a lot of emotion involved when you find out what you’ve done.” He emphasized his commitment to the team and the upcoming Ashes series against Australia.
With Liam Dawson out and Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse not included, England will rely on all-rounder Jacob Bethell, who will bat at number six, along with pace bowlers Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue. Stokes expressed confidence in his squad, stating, “We have some good cricketers to choose from when we find ourselves in a situation like this.”
On the Indian side, there is anticipation regarding the availability of pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah for the final Test, which would be his fourth match in the series. Bumrah had a challenging outing in the Manchester Test, where he recorded his highest figures of 2/112. Gill mentioned that a decision on Bumrah's participation would be made closer to the match.
Gill also commented on the potential inclusion of Arshdeep Singh, who has been impressive in the T20 format. He noted, “He is definitely being asked to get ready. We’ll make a decision later this evening based on the wicket conditions.” Arshdeep has prior experience playing in England and has performed well in the County Championship.
Reflecting on the series, Gill described it as a valuable learning experience for him as a captain, asserting that the scoreline does not accurately represent India's performance. He stated, “If we can level the series, it would be a significant achievement for us.”
Amidst the preparations, tensions arose following a dispute between Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and pitch curator Lee Fortis regarding practice facilities. Gill commented on the situation, expressing confusion over the curator's actions, stating, “We have played four matches, and no one has tried to stop us.”
As the teams prepare for the match, the question remains: will the controversy affect India's performance and lead them to the victory they seek? Only time will tell.
England's Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue
India Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Dhruv Jurel(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Karun Nair, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, N Jagadeesan, Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep.