India bank on a perfect team game, eye titanic comeback
FOURTH TEST After Trent Bridge win, Virat Kohli’s men look to continue momentum at Southampton
SOUTHAMPTON: India will aim to stay on cruise control in this southern coastal city tied to the sinking of the Titanic when they take on England in the fourth Test, starting at the Ageas Bowl on Thursday.
The Titanic set sail from Southampton in April, 1912 and sank in the Atlantic, and the tragedy still echoes everywhere in the city. However, the number of cruise ships, many trans-Atlantic, that call in regularly will also remind Virat Kohli and Co of revival.
India went into the third Test at Trent Bridge 2-0 down amid forecasts of a possible sweep in the five-match series. However, their resilience led to a thumping 203-run victory that has put pressure on the hosts.
The venue is hosting only its third Test. The last one was in 2014, when a battered India crumbled against James Anderson and off-spinner Moeen Ali. England’s master swing bowler is seven short of surpassing Australia’s Glenn McGrath’s tally of 563 to become the most successful fast bowler ever. Moeen has also been included after his recent match-winning show for Worcestershire (double century and eight wickets).
Moeen,who tookeightwickets in that 2014 win, will replace young batsman Ollie Pope and will bat at No 7. All-rounder Sam Curran will return in place of Chris Woakes, who has suffered a recurrence of a quad muscle problem.
FOCUS ON ASHWIN
The interest in the India camp will be on R Ashwin’s fitness following a groin injury that flared up at Trent Bridge. The off-spinner bowled and batted in the nets on Tuesday and has been declared fit, meaning India will most likely retain the eleven for the first time under Kohli.
“We don’t feel we need to change anything,” Kohli, who will be leading India in his 39th Test, said on Wednesday.
While Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane found form with vital fifties in the third Test, India will hope openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan build on the half-century stands they provided at Trent Bridge.
Interestingly, 18-year-old Prithvi Shaw, the U-19 World Cup-winning skipper drafted in as the third opener for the last two Tests, has had long batting stints in the last two days and comes into the side after doing well for India A in England.
PACERS ON TOP
India have never won three Tests in an overseas series, but fast bowler Mohammed Shami has cautioned they will have to take one match at a time. India pacers have stood out so far, taking 38 of the 46 wickets in the first three Tests to match England in the department this time.
That means a spiteful pitch can hurt England as well.
England’s worries are on opener Alastair Cook’s poor form. The 33-year-old scored 180 for England Lions against India A, but has scores of 13, 0, 21, 29, 17 in this series with Ishant Sharma having had his number.
Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow’s finger injury is likely to force him to play as a batsman at No 4.
At Tuesday’s training, Bairstow had a long conversation with coach Trevor Bayliss. He will bat at No. 4 as regular batsman, skipper Joe Root confirmed.
Jos Buttler, who scored a century in Trent Bridge and kept wickets after Bairstow was injured, will don the gloves.
Victory will keep India on course to record history as only one team — Don Bradman’s in the 1936-37 Ashes series at home — has rallied to win from 0-2 down.