The injury bug has slowly but surely hit Team India as they approach the business end of their 2025 Test tour of England. With the visitors trailing 1-2 in the best-of-five affair after three thrilling encounters, the fourth Test at Manchester, starting July 23, becomes a must-win for them.However, the side has been dealt massive blows, with Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, and Arshdeep Singh likely ruled out of the contest. As valuable as the names on the two extremes may be, it is the one in the center that would most worry Team India and their management.Akash Deep was the hero with the ball in their lone win in the series at Edgbaston, finishing with match figures of 10/187. His groin niggle meant the visitors had to draft in right-arm pacer Anshul Kamboj in the squad as cover.Team India also has a nightmarish past at Manchester, with no wins in nine Tests. Yet, they can take solace from overcoming a similar winless record at Edgbaston and recording a 336-run victory at the venue.Can they turn the tide similarly on the injury bug that has hit them between the third and fourth Tests, especially to the in-form Akash Deep? For starters, they must identify the ideal replacement between Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna for Akash Deep, considering the importance of the Manchester encounter.On that note, let us break down the key factors to figure out who, between Anshul Kamboj and Prasidh Krishna, should replace Akash Deep in India's playing XI for the fourth England Test.#1 Better fit with the ballThe numerous injuries have almost removed doubts around ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah's participation in the Manchester Test. With himself and Mohammed Siraj certain to take the new ball in the all-important fourth Test, the visitors must decide on their third seamer combination not only by form or pedigree but, more importantly, fit.24-year-old Kamboj is a Bhuvneshwar Kumar-esque new-ball specialist with the ability to make the new cherry talk both ways, especially on helpful conditions. On the other hand, Prasidh is a more hit-the-deck back-of-a-length pacer, who relies more on rushing batters and doing them in with his short deliveries than movement.Thus, with Bumrah and Siraj being certainties to open with the new ball, Praisdh might be the ideal complementary third seamer over Kamboj. India can look to the third Test at Lord's to gauge the importance of 'fit' over 'form'.As impressive as Akash Deep was with the new ball at Edgbaston, he struggled as the one-change option at Lord's with woeful match figures of 1/122. Thus, even if the think tank believes Kamboj is higher in the pecking order in terms of overall skill for English conditions, Prasidh should be a better fit as a better complement to the new-ball bowlers, Bumrah and Siraj.Edge: Prasidh Krishna#2 Better for the circumstancesE]The maiden Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is on the line at Manchester [Credit: Getty]While every Test in the ongoing series for this young side under the new captain, Shubman Gill, has been vital, the upcoming Manchester outing may be the biggest of them all. After dominating so much of the first three Tests, the visitors must be demoralized at the 1-2 scoreline.Yet, they must hit the ground running early and often in the fourth Test to keep their series victory hopes alive. With that in mind, would India be better served playing a debutant or a more experienced campaigner as their third seamer?Kamboj boasts an outstanding first-class record with 79 wickets in 24 matches, yet has never played a game for India. Given the beast that international cricket is, especially a Test match in England, should the visitors risk playing the 24-year-old?The answer is probably not, especially considering Prasidh's experience of playing the opening two Tests of the series and being more acclimatized to the English conditions. India may have taken a chance with a fresh face if it were earlier in the series, with the stakes not being as high.However, given the do-or-die situation facing them, the management should prefer the safer Prasidh Krishna route over the tempting Anshul Kamboj one.Edge: Prasidh Krishna#3 Better for left-field selectionsCan India find a way to include Kuldeep Yadav in the 11? [Credit: Getty]Anshul Kamboj's form with the ball and ability with the bat could help his selection over Prasidh Krishna for Manchester. The latter struggled for consistency with the ball in the first two Tests, averaging a dismal 55.16 at an economy of over 5.30.Furthermore, Prasidh only weakens India's batting depth, a criterion valued by their management, given their exclusion of Kuldeep Yadav thus far in the series.Meanwhile, Kamboj enjoyed an incredible outing for India A against the England Lions in the warm-up match at Northampton before the Test series. Apart from his impressive match figures of 4/62, the youngster also scored a brilliant 51* with the willow.Considering the injury to Nitish Kumar Reddy, India's wish to play a third spinner in Kuldeep Yadav could become reality if they include Kamboj in the lineup as the pace-bowling all-rounder.It would mean Kuldeep replacing Akash Deep, and Kamboj doing the same with Nitish, providing adequate batting depth and a plethora of bowling options in the seam and spin departments.Edge: Anshul KambojConclusionTeam India faces a tough decision when it comes to selecting Prasidh Krishna or Anshul Kamboj as Akash Deep's replacement for the Manchester tournament. However, even as the latter offers more as an all-around option, the higher stakes and the third-seamer dilemma make it tough to pick the youngster.Verdict: Team India must select Prasidh Krishna in place of Akash Deep as the third seamer, given the magnitude of the Manchester Test.