India’s hopes of leveling the Test series against England in the upcoming fourth Test at Manchester have suffered a major blow with three key players—Nitish Kumar Reddy Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh—dealing with injuries that have virtually ruled them out of the game starting July 23 at Old Trafford. Trailing 1-2 in the five-match series after a defeat at Lord’s India now faces a must-win scenario in the penultimate Test.
The latest injury crisis began with Arshdeep Singh sustaining a hand injury during a net session which required stitches. Reports indicate he will need approximately 10 days to recover making his return unlikely not just for the Manchester Test but also for the final game at The Oval. As a precaution the selectors have named Anshul Kamboj as cover.
Adding to India’s woes is the groin strain troubling Akash Deep the star of India’s massive victory at Birmingham where he claimed a ten-wicket match haul. His participation in Manchester remains uncertain with the team monitoring his fitness closely.
Meanwhile all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is confirmed to miss the rest of the series after suffering a ligament injury during a gym session. Scans revealed the extent of the damage effectively ruling him out of both the remaining matches in England.
This triple injury setback and uncertainty around vice-captain Rishabh Pant—who sustained a finger injury at Lord’s—have left the team management facing significant selection dilemmas. However Pant recently posted training videos suggesting he may still be fit enough to take the field in Manchester.
With Nitish unavailable India is expected to bring back Shardul Thakur into the playing XI. The Mumbai all-rounder featured in the first Test but was dropped after a modest performance. If Akash Deep is ruled out then Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are likely to shoulder the pace responsibilities possibly joined by Harshit Rana who has shown promise on the India A tour and was recently added as a backup option.
Another option under consideration is bringing in Kuldeep Yadav for his first appearance this tour though doing so would mean fielding three spin options alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar—an unlikely move under Gautam Gambhir’s aggressive pace-focused strategy.
Should the team opt for a fresh face Anshul Kamboj could be handed his debut given his recent domestic performances and success in India A fixtures. Yet with Harshit already integrated into the squad hierarchy he might get the nod ahead of Kamboj.
As the team readies itself for the critical fourth Test starting July 23 at Manchester the management’s choices will be vital in keeping the series alive ahead of the final match at The Oval.
India’s probable playing XI for 4th Test vs England
Yashasvi Jaiswal KL Rahul Karun Nair Shubman Gill (captain) Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper) Shardul Thakur Ravindra Jadeja Washington Sundar Harshit Rana Jasprit Bumrah Mohammed Siraj