London, Jul 30 (PTI)—India's prospects of closing out their UK tour with a notable achievement have been boosted on the eve of the fifth Test. England's influential captain Ben Stokes and key pacer Jofra Archer will miss the game starting Thursday. Stokes, known for his inspirational leadership and all-round abilities, has been sidelined due to a muscle tear in his right shoulder. Meanwhile, Archer has been rested following back-to-back matches, alongside pacer Brydon Carse and left-arm spinner Liam Dawson.
The absence of Stokes, who amassed 304 runs and took 17 wickets in the series, is a significant blow to the English side. His ability to inspire during challenging situations will be sorely missed at The Oval. Ollie Pope will step in as stand-in captain, as India, even minus Jasprit Bumrah, are poised to seize the opportunity. The ongoing series has been a showcase for Test cricket, with all four matches extending to the final session on day five.
Adding spice to the affair, tensions have occasionally flared. From Shubman Gill's displeasure over Zak Crawley's time-wasting tactics at Lord's to Ravindra Jadeja's uncompromising stance on the last day at Old Trafford, the intensity has been palpable as the series finale approaches in a steamy London. Moreover, Gautam Gambhir's recent spat with Oval curator Lee Fortis has further fueled the competitive atmosphere.
With Gill's leadership and England's bowling attack undergoing changes, including the absence of a specialist spinner, the final match promises high drama. Surrey players Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton, familiar with The Oval, join Chris Woakes and Josh Tongue to form a four-pronged pace attack. Despite the reshuffle, England continues its aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach, introducing big-hitter Jacob Bethell.
History beckons Gill
In his debut series as captain during a significant transition, Shubman Gill has consistently led by example. With 722 runs so far, he is just 52 runs shy of surpassing Sunil Gavaskar's record for most runs by an Indian in a series. Another 11 runs will see him break Gavaskar’s record for runs scored by an Indian captain in a Test series (1978-79 vs West Indies). Gill, only 25, has matured with four centuries, including a double ton and a career-defining knock of 103 in Manchester to secure a draw from a formidable position.
As India enters this match with momentum, there's scope for improvement. K L Rahul has consistently delivered at the top with 511 runs, yet expectations are high for Yashasvi Jaiswal and number three Sai Sudharsan. On London's generally batting-friendly Oval pitch, the onus is on them to contribute significantly.
Team Combination
With Rishabh Pant injured, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja, buoyed by their match-saving unbeaten centuries, are expected to bolster the top six. India values deep batting up to number eight, which might see Kuldeep Yadav excluded once again despite calls for his inclusion. Dhruv Jurel will don the wicketkeeping gloves, batting at seven, while Shardul Thakur could retain his spot at eight, even if not instilling full confidence in his captain.
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has suggested India will stick to its existing format. "With six bowlers, some might under-bowl, but an all-rounder contributes in both batting and bowling," Kotak commented. Jasprit Bumrah’s absence will likely see Akash Deep take his place, while Mohammed Siraj will lead the bowling attack with either Prasidh Krishna or Arshdeep Singh filling the third pacer role.
Surrey recently amassed over 800 runs in a County game here, leaving the pitch's behavior a key focus for the upcoming Test.
Teams:
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue.
India: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj, Arshdeep Singh, N Jagadeesan (WK).
Match Starts: 3:30 pm IST.
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