On Kuldeep, Athers notes that England were always going to bowl – and when did describing it that way replace calling it fielding in the cricketing lexicon –if they won the toss, so Gill could’ve guaranteed having him wheeling away in the fourth innings. I bet England are pleased he’s not there.
England v India: fourth men’s cricket Test, day one – live | England v India 2025
Published: 2025-07-23 10:49:08 | Views: 20
Key events
India have lost 14 Test tosses in a row. The odds of that are, apparently, 16,384-1.
Gill was confused as to what to do, so thinks it’s a good toss to lose. He’s happy with how India have played, winning more sessions and days than England, they’ve just lost a few “crunch moments”. The surface looks “nice and hard” and he makes three changes": out go Karun Nair plus the injured Akash Deep and Nitish Reddy; in come Sai Sudharsan, Shardul Thakur and Anshul Kamboj, making his debut.
He is not asked what the point of bringing Kuldeep Yadav on tour was; Old Trafford accepts wrist spin, India are behind in the series, and he’s still sat at the side.
England win the toss and bowl
Four our of four for Ben Stokes, who thinks the overhead conditions will be good for bowling and everyone’s had a good opportunity to relax and recharge. Everyone left everything out on the field at Lord’s, both sides have been excellent with little between them, and he thinks the wicket is typical Manchester, quite firm with a bit of grass coverage. It’s been a while since dawson played a Test, but he’s thoroughly earned his chance.
Toss time…
Do England even need a spinner? I can’t say I’ve no visions of either Dawson or Bashir getting hit all over the show in Australia, and it might be that an all-seam attack is currently England’s best option. It won’t happen, I don’t think, but if you’ve constantly got a pair of fresh quicks, that’s not a lot of respite for opposition batters.
So what do we make of Liam Dawson’s return? His batting and fielding are obviously like the Swiss flag – England have been uncharacteristically lax in the latter department this series – but I’m mainly looking forward to seeing how his bowling holds up. He might not have Bashir’s raw talent, but his nous, variety and comfort with his game make him an interesting addition.
It’s overcast in Manchester – [insert gag here]. I remember staying in Broughton Park with my gran as a young child and noting that a) it was always raining and b) the chat was always about who’d died recently. I’ve been more popular.
Otherwise, the pitch looks like it’s pretty dry, so there should be a bit of uneven bounce and perhaps something for the spinners later; the outfield is lush, so boundaries might be harder than usual to come by. Stuart Broad would bat but thinks Ben Stokes will want to bowl.
Preamble
It’s been 17 hours and eight long days since you took your love away …. aaah aaah aaah aaah aaaaaaah. But we got through it, flowers that we planted in the backyard contriving not to die – mainly because we didn’t actually plant them to begin with. Clever, eh?
Earlier this week, we learned that sports coverage is to be prescribed on the NHS for people struggling with depression – a move that makes perfect sense. Sport is community and sport is company; sport is story and sport is inspiration; sport is joy and sport is love.
As it happens, the specified endeavour was football, but that only lasts 90 minutes. On the other hand, we have in front of us a full five days in which our world ascends, expands and intensifies. The simple fact of being us is better; so much better.
And that’s even before we consider the particular brilliance of this series, now animated with bonus needle. Somehow, England hold a 2-1 lead despite having lost more days and sessions than they’ve won, a hardened team growing at crucial moments, revelated by the curious notion that winning beats losing.
India, meanwhile, are – on the face of things – in trouble, needing to win the last two matches to take the series, shorn of the injured Akash Deep and Nitish Kumar Reddy. But where there’s Jasprit there’s hope, and the pitch at Old Trafford might just be in their favour: if it’s dead, as has been the way this season, it’ll favour the fastest bowlers and best spinners; if it’s a more usual OT track with bounce and turn, it’ll favour the fastest bowlers and best spinners. Nor should it be forgotten that, after the painful loss at Headingley, India retorted by clobbering England at Edgbaston and now, fired by a sense of unity and injustice, they will be coming to get it, trying to have fun no matter what they do.
Test cricket, nothing compares to you.
Play: 11am BST
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