England aim to produce final flourish in fifth Test against India

The last match of the five-Test series against India in Dharamsala will feel a lot closer to home for England than for the hosts when the finale begins today.

Minimum temperatures in the northern Indian city at the foot of the Himalayas are expected to be in the low single digits. Rain is also forecast.

Cold, damp, and the occasional sunlight sounds a lot more like England than India. Also, around 5,000 England supporters are expected to attend the match.

England captain Ben Stokes’s team should therefore feel at home as they look to end the tour on a high after India took an unassailable 3-1 lead after the fourth Test in Ranchi.

Stokes has brought in express quick Mark Wood in place of Ollie Robinson, who looked down on pace and intent in the fourth match. The surface at the HPCA Stadium has been rolled flat with hardly any grass cover, which means batting should be easier and spinners should come into play.

Which is why England have gone in with two quicks – James Anderson and Wood – while retaining the highly impressive spin duo of Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir.

“We thought there would be a bit more grass on the wicket just because of where we are but overall I think the wicket looks an absolute belter,” said Stokes yesterday.

Jonny Bairstow will play his 100th Test and veteran seamer Anderson is two wickets short of 700 in Test cricket.

For India, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will win his 100th Test cap, too.

The hosts also welcome fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah back, which should give them a cutting edge on a pitch that does not promise much help.