The Kennington Oval is set to host the 5th and final Test between England and India as the two teams battle it out for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The final match is to take place from 31 July. The Indian starting XI could see several changes due to injury and rotation. The most notable names are World No. 1 Test Bowler Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant.
1. Jasprit Bumrah
- Likely Replacement: Akash Deep
- Reason: As part of his workload management, he was only meant to play 3 tests in England. Having already played the 1st, 3rd, and 4th, he’s likely to miss the 5th test.
- Performance: Bumrah has had a strong but still mixed performance throughout the series. He stepped up for India in the series opener in Leeds, claiming a 5-wicket haul. He also achieved a milestone of 50 Test wickets in England in this opener. Thereby, joining the likes of Wasim Akram and Ishant Sharma as the only Asian bowlers to reach this mark. There were doubts over his fitness in the 4th Test. This test saw him concede over 100 runs in a Test innings for the first time in his career.
- Why Akash Deep? The right arm fast bowler only missed the 4th test due to a groin injury. He replaced Bumrah in the 2nd test, where he picked up an impressive 10 wickets. If Akash Deep recovers from his injury, he should be the 1st choice replacement for Bumrah.
2. Rishabh Pant
- Likely Replacement: Dhruv Jurel
- Reason: A delivery from Chris Woakes on Day 1 of the 4th Test saw Rishabh Pant pick up an injury. The scans later revealed a fracture to his right foot, ruling him out for the 5th and final Test.
- Performance: Pant is India’s third highest scorer in the series with 479 runs to his name. This includes 2 centuries and 3 half-centuries. His most impressive innings was in the 1st innings of the 4th Test. After Pant retired early on Day 1, he returned on Day 2 with a swollen foot to reach a half-century. An innings that showcased his mentality is the most powerful weapon in his arsenal.
- Why Dhruv Jurel? Jurel stepped in as the wicketkeeper replacement for Pant in the 3rd Test, after he sustained a finger injury. He once again stepped in behind the wickets, after Pant’s injury in the 4th Test. Although Jurel was a mere wicketkeeper replacement. Now, he is expected to return to the playing X1 in the 5th Test. The BCCI named Narayan Jagadeesan as Pant’s replacement. However, he is unlikely to start over Jurel.
3. Shardul Thakur
- Likely Replacement: Kuldeep Yadav
- Reason: His opportunities with the ball have been limited, and this may indicate a lack of trust from the captain.
- Performance: Shardul Thakur was underutilized in the 4th Test as he bowled only 11 overs. He also managed to put up 41 runs on the board in the 1st innings.
- Why Kuldeep Yadav? Instead of fielding a bowler that the captain does not trust, it seems smarter for India to have a more experienced wicket-taker on its side.
4. Anshul Kamboj
- Likely Replacement: Arshdeep Singh
- Reason: Anshul Kamboj hasn’t made any significant impact with the opportunity handed to him. The 5th Test proving to be a decisive one, could mean he meets rotation.
- Performance: He made an underwhelming debut at Old Trafford. The player struggled as he was visibly nervous. The player struggled with his pace while bowling. This saw Ravichandran Ashwin question his fitness while speaking on his Youtube channel. – “I praised Anshul Kamboj yesterday, but I have to say that his bowling speeds were so low, I was quite surprised. I honestly hope he is okay, because he was bowling faster than this in the IPL.“
- Why Arshdeep Singh? Arshdeep Singh has yet to make his Test debut. Arshdeep is currently India’s leading wicket-taker in T20 Internationals. The left-arm bowler missed out on the 4th Test after sustaining an injury in a practice session. Should he be deemed fit, he could definitely make his debut over Anhsul Kamboj.
Probable Playing XI
| Player Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Opening Batter |
| KL Rahul | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Sai Sudharsan | Top-Order Batter |
| Shubman Gill | Middle-Order Batter |
| Ravindra Jadeja | Batting All-Rounder |
| Washington Sundar | Bowling All-Rounder |
| Dhruv Jurel | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Spin Bowler |
| Arshdeep Singh | Fast Bowler |
| Akash Deep | Fast Bowler |
| Mohammed Siraj | Fast Bowler |
The final test proves to be of great importance for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The draw in the 4th Test leaves England with a 2-1 lead, and the final test as the decider. The Indian team could see the above changes being made to the squad for different reasons. Injuries, workload management, and tactical reasons all contribute to what lineup India puts out. Rishabh Pant’s heroics in the 4th Test hopefully inspires the rest of the squad to fight with the same mentality in this final stretch.
- Note: Final decision will depend on pitch reports, training sessions, and injury assessments.
Written by: Thillai Ritvik
