INDIA EYE CLEAN SWEEP
MUMBAI: A dominant India will be eyeing to clinch the five-test series against England with yet another comprehensive victory when the two teams square off in the fourth match of the series starting on Thursday.
With an unassailable 2-0 lead after three Tests, the confidence of the Virat Kohli-led team is sky high and they would like to regain the Anthony de Mello Trophy which they had lost to Alastair Cook's side back in 2012.
Even if England manage a draw, India will win the series after the visitors' hat-trick of wins 2011 in England, 2012 in India and 2014 in England again.
In their last two Test meetings at the Wankhede, England had prevailed over India and the 2012 Test match will always be remembered as one where Kevin Pietersen played perhaps one of the finest knocks by an overseas batsman on Indian soil.
On Thursday's match gives India a chance to exact revenge for the two earlier defeats and also make the Chennai Test inconsequential.
The tourists suffered a heavy loss in Mohali and are now expected to come hard at the hosts after spending a week away from the sub-continent in Dubai licking their wounds and recharging their batteries.
In the interim, England had also replaced two injured Asian-origin players impressive teenage opener Haseeb Hameed and left arm spinner Zafar Ansari with two uncapped players - Keaton Jennings and Liam Dawson.
Hameed's loss due to a finger fracture sustained in Mohali is a big blow to England who will be hoping that the South Africa-born Jennings will step into the other youngster s shoes seamlessly and perform well the difficult role of opening the batting with skipper Alastair Cook.
India, too, have injury issues with Ajinkya Rahane being the latest entry in the injured list after he suffered a fracture on his right index finger during pratice on Wednesday.
The out of form batsman has been ruled out of the remaining two Tests with Manish Pandey coming in to take his place. Pacer Shardul Thakur has also been brought in as back up for Mohammad Shami.
Coach Anil Kumble pointed out at a media conference on Tuesday, the newcomers had slipped in and performed well to contribute to the hosts' domination of the rubber after having played second fiddle to the tourists in the series opener at Rajkot.
India's top-order batting has been shored up by the sublime form exhibited by No 3 Cheteshwar Pujara and captain Virat Kohli and any subsequent wobble has been arrested by the lower order batsmen led by Ravichandran Ashwin.
Parthiv Patel, who was recalled to the team after an eight-year gap, took on the unenviable job of opening the batting against the top-class England new-ball attack led by the redoubtable James Anderson with lan in Mohali, making 42 and 67 respectively.
With the return to fitness after a forearm injury of KL Rahul, who did not play the third game of the series, the pint-sized wicket keeper is expected to bat in the middleorder.