India Vs England: Eyes On Team India’s Win, Pressure Builds Up On Joe Root
After defeating England by 157 runs in the Oval Test, the Indian team made a strong comeback in the five-match Test series and took a vital 2-1 lead in the India Vs England series. The final and fifth Test between India Vs England will now be played at Old Trafford, Manchester from 10 September, today. Where Team India will take the field with the intention of winning the Test series.
This is the best chance for the Indian team to win the Test series in England. If the Manchester Test ends in a draw or if Team India is successful in winning, then this will be India’s win in England after 2007. Earlier, India had defeated England at their home in the three-match series 1–0 in 1971, the three-match series 2–0 in 1986 and the three-match series 1–0 in 2007 as well.
Captain Kohli will have a great chance to make a big record in the Manchester Test. Actually, if Virat is able to score 40 runs in the last match of the series, then he will complete his 2,000 runs in Test cricket against England. In the India Vs England Test series, Kohli will be the fifth player to score 2,000 runs and only the third player from India. Before the Indian captain, Sachin Tendulkar (2535) and Sunil Gavaskar (2483) have achieved this feat.
Virat Kohli has so far scored 1960 runs in 27 Test matches played against England at an average of 43.55 and has also seen 5 centuries and 9 half-centuries with his bat.
The return of veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami in the playing XI in the fifth Test seems certain. In the fourth Test, he was rested keeping in mind the fitness problem, but now Shami is fully fit and on Wednesday he also participated in the practice session. In Manchester, Shami can be seen returning to the playing XI in place of Mohammad Siraj. Siraj has so far taken 14 wickets in four matches of the series, but was successful in taking only one wicket was at the Oval. In such a situation, the team management can give rest to Siraj and give a chance to Shami.
If England want to avoid a series defeat in Manchester, then captain Joe Root will be all in charge. So far in the series, in seven innings, he has scored 564 runs. He would like to cross the 600-run mark in the series by playing big innings. Root will be supported by vice-captain Jos Buttler, who can replace Bairstow. At the same time, Ollie Robinson and James Anderson, who are in excellent form in the bowling, will handle the new ball.
