England's predicted XI for the 4th Test against India

India and England lock horns in the fourth and final Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The hosts need either a win or a draw to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship, which is scheduled to take place later this year at Lord's.

England, who were knocked out of contention due to their embarrassing loss in the 3rd Test, will look to spoil India's party and draw the series level. It'll be an uphill task for the visitors, whose rotation policy and batting shortcomings have cost them dearly.

Here is England's predicted playing XI for the 4th Test against India.

---

England's squad and predicted XI for the 4th Test

England's squad for the 4th Test: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone

---

Openers: Zak Crawley, Dom Sibley

Zak Crawley was the only England batsmen to score a fifty in the 3rd Test

England's opening combination is far from settled, but young Zak Crawley took great strides towards making a spot his own in the 3rd Test. The 23-year-old essayed a number of drives and flicks en route to his team's only fifty in the match, although he was bowled first-ball in the second innings.

Dom Sibley has been in wretched form since his fifty in the 1st Test, but England don't have any options on the bench apart from Rory Burns. Burns could be picked if England want a right-left combination at the top of the order, but he fared no better than Sibley in the two Tests he played and might sit this one out.

---

Middle Order: Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root (c), Ben Foakes (wk), Ollie Pope

Joe Root hasn't been amongst the runs in the last two Tests

Jonny Bairstow's first game after a period of rest couldn't have gone worse. The England No. 3 bagged a pair and looked all at sea against the wily Axar Patel. He was one of the team's better players in spin in the preceding series against Sri Lanka, and he'll want to make a telling contribution in the final Test.

Following Bairstow will be Joe Root, whose form has falllen off after the first Test. The England skipper has looked decent at the crease, but hasn't been able to kick on and anchor his team's innings. Fresh off a maiden 5-for, he will also eye a few wickets.

England's middle-order pairing of Ben Foakes and Ollie Pope have flattered to deceive with the bat in this series so far. Both men have struggled to get going in the middle, although their defensive technique has been better than their teammates on most occasions.

Foakes and Pope will probably bat after Stokes in the lineup, and they'll want to end the series on a high.

---

All-rounder: Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes has been a fish out of water against Ravichandran Ashwin

Ben Stokes has had a series to forget so far. He has had his moments, but he has been a sitting duck against the guile of Ravichandran Ashwin. The India off-spinner has dismissed him more times than any other batsman in Test cricket, and Stokes desperately needs to figure out a way to counter him.

Stokes hasn't been asked to bowl too many overs this series, but he might come into play with England expected to field only two specialist pacers.

---

Bowlers: Dom Bess, Jofra Archer, Jimmy Anderson, Jack Leach

Jimmy Anderson went wicketless in the previous Test

England will no doubt have learnt from their mistakes in the 3rd Test. If the pitch appears to assist turn, they'll turn to Dom Bess. The off-spinner has struggled a touch with his consistency, but he's their best option at the moment with Moeen Ali sent back home.

Bess will be partnered by the impressive Jack Leach, with pacers Jimmy Anderson and Jofra Archer rounding off the bowling attack. While Olly Stone was impressive in the only Test he has played on this tour, Anderson and Archer didn't have much bowling to do in the 3rd Test and should be fresh for this one.

---

England's predicted XI for the 4th Test: Zak Crawley, Dom Sibley, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wk), Dom Bess, Jofra Archer, Jack Leach, Jimmy Anderson