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England take on India in the fifth and final Test of the Pataudi Trophy on Friday, 10th September, at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester. The hosts will have to win to draw the series. India have taken a 2-1 lead after winning another roller-coaster of a game by 157 runs.
Put in to bat first in overcast conditions at the Oval, India managed only 191 in their first innings. They achieved that through a brilliant rearguard fightback led by Shardul Thakur, who scored a 36-ball 57. Skipper Virat Kohli was also among the runs, perishing after reaching his half-century.
In response, England finished with a score of 53/3 at the end of Day 1. After losing two wickets early on Day 2, it looked like the hosts were going to struggle to upheave India's total. However, Ollie Pope and Jonny Bairstow joined forces to bat England out of trouble. Pope forged meaningful partnerships with Bairstow and Moeen Ali before he fell for a 159-ball 81. Chris Woakes' half-century saw England take a first-innings lead of 99 runs.
Despite the pitch easing out and becoming easier to bat on, India faced the difficult task of turning a 99-run deficit and taking a sizeable lead to win the Test.
Their batters duly stepped up when it mattered and delivered a brilliant batting performance on Day 3 and Day 4. Rohit Sharma led the way with a much-awaited and well-deserved hundred, while Pujara, Rishabh Pant, and Shardul Thakur got half-centuries.
Helped by starts from KL Rahul and Kohli and some handy contributions from the rest of the tail, India posted a total of 466. It helped them post a massive lead of 367 runs with four sessions remaining.
England batted well to keep themselves in the game, finishing with 131/2 at Lunch on Day 5. However, a terrific spell of bowling from Jasprit Bumrah, ably supported by Ravindra Jadeja, saw India turn the game their way. When Shardul Thakur removed Joe Root, England fell to 182/7, losing five wickets for just 41 runs in the process.
Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur rounded out the England tail, bowling them out for 210. India moved closer to an elusive and historic series win in England after winning another enthralling game of Test cricket.
We can expect changes from this England team ahead of the fifth Test, with head coach Chris Silverwood admitting that they had tired bodies. Jos Buttler and Jack Leach rejoined England's squad, with Sam Billings missing out.
India will hope to have Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami fit and available for selection. The duo missed out on the 4th Test due to niggles, with Umesh and Shardul taking their places.
The fifth Test at the Emirates Old Trafford should be a fitting conclusion to a series that has been a great advertisement for Test cricket. The stakes are high for the final Test match of the series, which promises to be another riveting encounter.
Match details
Date: September 10-14, 2021 (Friday-Tuesday).
Time: 11:00 AM (Local/ BST), 03:30 PM (IST), and 10:00 AM (GMT).
Venue: Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester.
Weather Report
We're likely to see some rain delays in the fifth Test, with showers expected over the first three days. The average temperature should be around 19 degrees celsius, although the general weather conditions throughout the match should be drier.
Pitch Report
The wicket at Old Trafford should wear out as the game goes on, with the spinners more likely to be involved than at any other venue. The first innings should be the best time to bat for both sides, with the nature of the surface evening itself out as the game progresses. Captains should look to bat first after winning the toss.
Predicted XIs
England
Jos Buttler should walk straight back into this England playing XI, with one of Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali likely to miss out. A weary James Anderson could be replaced by Jack Leach. Mark Wood should also make a return to the team in place of either Craig Overton or Anderson.
England: Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (C), Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler(WK), Jonny Bairstow/ Moeen Ali, Ollie Robinson, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton/ Mark Wood, and James Anderson/Jack Leach.
India
Despite Ajinkya Rahane's poor run of form in this series, India are unlikely to drop him for this all-important clash. Their top 7 should remain the same for the 5th Test. India could play Ravichandran Ashwin in Manchester, and he could replace Mohammed Siraj. Mohammed Shami could also return to playing XI if he's fit. Shardul Thakur's all-round prowess should guarantee him a spot in the side.
India: KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Ravichandran Ashwin/ Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj/ Umesh Yadav.
Match prediction
India will head into this Test with lots of confidence and should back themselves to win the series 3-1. While both teams' bowlers have been good, India's batting has been better and that should give them the edge in the final Test in Manchester.
Prediction: India to win.
TV and live streaming details
TV: Sony Six
Live Streaming: SonyLiv
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