The Indian team will look to make it a record-equalling fifth consecutive series win when they take on England in the fourth Test match that begins at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from Thursday.
India are 2-0 up in the five-match rubber after they drew the first Test in Rajkot and then defeated the visitors in the second and third Test matches which were played at Visakhapatnam and Mohali respectively.
If India go on to win the Test match in Mumbai, they will continue their winning streak in Test series, that began in Sri Lanka in August 2015. Since then, India have won Test series against South Africa, West Indies (away) and New Zealand.
Only once previously – in the 85-year Test history – has the Indian team won five consecutive Test series; that happened between 2008 and 2010 when under Anil Kumble, MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag at different times, the Indian team won five consecutive Test series.
After three fiercely contested Test matches, both teams have had a few days off, giving the players a chance to recuperate before the final two Tests. The Indian team reassembled in Mumbai and had their first nets session at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.
India’s captain Virat Kohli made it clear in the media conference on Wednesday that KL Rahul is fit to play in the fourth Test. And a few hours after the conference, the Indian team management announced that Ajinkya Rahane will miss the remainder of Test series due to a finger injury. Manish Pandey is set to replace the Mumbai player in the Indian squad for the last two Tests.
And Shardul Thakur has been called as a back up for Mohammed Shami for the fourth Test. Shami had a sore knee after the third Test.
Parthiv Patel will continue to don the gloves behind the stumps after the news emerged from the Indian dressing room that Wriddhiman Saha had not recovered completely from the thigh strain that forced him to miss the Mohali Test.
The 31-year old Parthiv did more than what was expected off him in Mohali and he will now appear in consecutive Test matches for the first time in more than 12 years.
In the nine days break between the third and fourth Test matches, the tourists had a brief dash to Dubai, which gave the team the chance to take their mind off all matters cricket. Now back in India, they have to focus their energies at the best possible result available to them – that of drawing the series.
England will find the conditions at the Wankhede Stadium to their liking. The pitch at the Wankhede Stadium normally offers good pace and carry – thanks to the red soil used in pitch-making in that part of the world.
One also got to see plenty of live grass on the surface two days prior to the Test match – though this could quickly vanish come match day. England will take confidence knowing they have defeated India in their last two visits to the venue and will believe they can do it again.
The England team have a few areas to address. Right at the top, they first need to replace the injured opener Haseeb Hameed, who impressed in the three Test matches. The England selectors have named the Durham left-handed batsman Keaton Jennings as replacement, and all indications emerging from the England camp point towards a possible Test debut for the 24-year old.
The South Africa-born Keaton, son of the former Proteas coach Ray Jennings, was the top run-getter in the county circuit this season. If Keaton does walk out to bat at the top of the England innings, he will be Alastair Cook’s 14th opening partner in Test cricket.
One expects a second change to the England eleven that competed in Mohali. Stuart Broad, who missed the Test match owing to injury, is likely to return to the eleven at the expense of Gareth Batty.
A third change to the England side – though unlikely – is a Test debut for Liam Dawson as the third spin-bowling option at the expense of Chris Woakes.
Possible XIs:
India: KL Rahul, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Karun Nair, Ravichandran Ashwin, Parthiv Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami/Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
England: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.
India – the number one ranked team in the ICC Test rankings – will look to stamp their supremacy yet again, while for the tourists, the Mumbai Test presents them one last chance to save the series.
The Indian captain Virat Kohli and his opposite number Alastair Cook will walk out for the toss at 9 am IST on Thursday. Follow all the updates from the Mumbai Test match on the live blog here.