India Eyes Comeback

Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane’s wretched form and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s probable inclusion will have the most significant impact on the India team’s efforts to move on from its Leeds debacle when it takes on England in the fourth Test at the Oval starting Thursday.

The high of an inspirational victory at Lord’s was followed by back-to-back batting debacles at Headingley and the penultimate game would have an impact on both sides as the series – locked at 1-1 – heads towards its business end.

Virat Kohli knows all is not well with his batting unit and the biggest problem is the performance of its middle-order stalwarts – the skipper himself, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Rahane. Pujara might have redeemed himself with a knock of 91 but the same can’t be said about Rahane, whose form is shaky despite a crucial 61 in the second innings at Lord’s.

In all likelihood, Rahane would get another chance but his inconsistency has hurt the team badly. Although the middle-order has been poor, India opening batsmen Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have done reasonably well so far.

As the Oval track traditionally helps spinners, Ashwin could bowl in tandem with or replace Ravindra Jadeja, who has been off-color with the ball. Pacer Ishant Sharma is likely to be left out, but it remains to be seen if India opts for a four-man fast-bowling attack.

For Joe Root-led England, Dawid Malan is in good touch while the skipper has been in the zone since the start of the year. Mark Wood’s blistering pace and Chris Woakes’s incisive swing bowling are enough to ensure a bit of workload management for James Anderson.

Jonny Bairstow is expected to keep wickets as Jos Buttler has taken a break to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. In Buttler’s absence, all-rounder Moeen Ali has been named the vice-captain.