Manchester Test: Will Pant and Nair Make the Playing XI? Captain Gill Drops a Big Hint
Manchester (The Uttam Hindu): The crucial 4th Test of the India-England series will begin on July 23 at Old Trafford, Manchester. Ahead of this do-or-die match, Team India is battling multiple injury concerns.
In the pre-match press conference, Indian captain Shubman Gill gave major hints about the playing XI. On Rishabh Pant’s availability, Gill confirmed, “Pant will play the 4th Test as a wicketkeeper-batsman,” indicating that Pant has fully recovered from the injury he sustained in the 3rd Test while facing Jasprit Bumrah’s delivery. During that game, Dhruv Jurel had kept wickets in Pant’s absence.
Gill also stated that Nitish Reddy has been ruled out of the series, while Akash Deep will miss the 4th Test. Arshdeep Singh is also carrying an injury. However, he assured that India has bowlers capable of taking 20 wickets, with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj leading the attack, and the third pacer likely to be either Prasidh Krishna or Anshul Kamboj.
Gill hinted that apart from forced changes (Reddy and Akash Deep), there might not be major changes in the playing XI, though the final decision will be made after assessing the pitch conditions.
The Indian skipper also addressed the previous match controversy with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, accusing them of “deliberately taking 90 seconds extra to reach the crease, which was against the spirit of the game.” Team India currently trails the series 1-2, making the Manchester Test a must-win to keep the series alive. A loss would end India’s hopes of a series win, while a draw would leave them with only a drawn or lost series.
Possible XI Hints:
In: Rishabh Pant (fit), Karun Nair (likely comeback)
Out: Nitish Reddy (injured), Akash Deep (injured)