The Indian cricket team faces a must-win situation in the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, Manchester, from July 23 to 27, 2025. With England leading the five-match series 2-1, India needs a victory to level the series and keep their hopes alive of winning their first Test series in England since 2007. However, the team is grappling with injuries and patchy form of key players, leading to much speculation about the composition of the playing XI.
Several changes are expected in the Indian lineup due to injuries. All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the remainder of the series with a left knee injury. Pacer Arshdeep Singh is also out of the fourth Test after sustaining an impact injury to his left thumb during a training session. Additionally, Akash Deep is likely to miss the match due to a groin issue. To compensate for these absences, the BCCI has added Anshul Kamboj to the squad, and he is expected to make his Test debut in Manchester.
The batting lineup is also a topic of discussion, particularly the form of Karun Nair. Despite being given opportunities in the first three Tests, Nair has failed to convert his starts into significant scores. In 6 innings, Nair has 131 runs at an average of 21.83. Former players and experts have suggested that Sai Sudharsan, who is waiting in the wings, could replace Nair in the playing XI.
The wicket-keeping position is another area of concern. Rishabh Pant, who has featured in all three Tests, sustained a finger injury during the Lord's Test. If Pant is not fit to keep wickets, Dhruv Jurel, who filled in as a substitute in the previous Test, may retain the role. Some suggest that Pant could play as a specialist batter, with Jurel taking over the wicket-keeping duties. Aakash Chopra, for instance, has picked both Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel in his Indian XI for the 4th Test.
The inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav is another point of debate. Some experts, like Ravichandran Ashwin and Steve Harmison, believe that Kuldeep should be included in the playing XI, considering the Old Trafford pitch is expected to assist spin as the match progresses. Ashwin even suggested playing Kuldeep as the "fourth seamer". However, others, like Irfan Pathan, have not included Kuldeep in their predicted XI. The dilemma lies in whether to play three spinners or sacrifice a pacer or all-rounder to accommodate Kuldeep.
Given the injuries and form concerns, a possible Indian XI could be: Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant/Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav/Shardul Thakur, and Mohammed Siraj.
England, on the other hand, has announced their playing XI with one forced change. Liam Dawson replaces Shoaib Bashir, who has been ruled out of the series due to a finger injury. The England XI is: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Liam Dawson, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, and Jofra Archer.
The fourth Test promises to be a thrilling encounter with India needing to win to stay alive in the series and England looking to seal the series victory. The weather in Manchester is expected to be colder than in London, with rain predicted during the match.
