ENG v IND | 5th Test | Preview, Prediction, Probable XI, CREX XI

Let's take a stroll back to the 6th of September 2021. England have ten wickets in hand, and they are pursuing an unlikely run-chase of 367 against a power-packed Indian attack on a flat pitch at the Oval.

The game seemed to be meandering when the 2nd session resumed. England lost a couple of wickets in the morning session, but the lack of intent was quite palpable. By the time the second session started, it felt as if only two results were possible: an Indian win or a hard-fought draw.

India needed a bit of magic from their pacers after Ravindra Jadeja provided them with a near-perfect start by knocking over Haseeb Hameed immediately after Lunch. 

Enter Jasprit Bumrah with a spell that you had to witness live to believe it happened. Bumrah breaches Ollie Pope's defences with peach, and before Pope could settle into the dressing room, Jonny Bairstow suffered a similar fate, this time via an unplayable yorker from Boom.

More than these two dismissals, Bumrah's sustained blockhole ploy against Joe Root was the highlight of that spell. Bumrah aimed for Root's toes consistently and, at times, ruthlessly, but such was the form of the then English skipper that he managed to dig it out.

It didn't matter, though, as the wheels had already come off and by the time players went into the Tea break, it was clear that India would walk away from the Oval with a 2-1 lead. And that they did with disdain in the final session.

298 days later, the Indians are back in the UK to finish off the job they started last summer. The fifth Test could not take place last year due to the infiltration of Covid in the Indian camp, and here we are, all in readiness for the final chapter to be written in Edgbaston from Friday.

A lot of water has flown under the bridge since India's fantastic win at the Oval. Virat Kohli is no longer the captain of the team. Neither is Ravi Shastri, the head coach and with Rohit Sharma testing positive for Covid, the onus will be on Jasprit Bumrah to lead the side.

England, too have undergone a plethora of changes since then. The 'Three Lions' have ushered in the new era under the leadership of captain Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum following a disastrous period of 18 months which saw them win just 1 out of 17 Tests.

That said, it will be a different ball game against a more profound and more accomplished Indian attack, which is accustomed to bowling on flat tracks. However, there is also a threat of Indian bowlers being undercooked.

Yes, they did have a decent workout against Leicestershire Foxes last week, but the reality is India hasn't played a red-ball game over the previous three months, and unlike the WTC final last year, they'd be hoping that they hit their straps right away.

Match Details

Match: England v India, 5th Test

Venue: Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham

Date & Time: July 01 at 3:00 PM IST & 10:30 AM Local Time

Live Streaming: Sony Sports Network

Pitch Report:

In the four  County Championship matches played at Edgbaston this summer, batters have ruled the roost over the bowlers. One of the primary reasons for that is the dodgy Dukes' ball that has been going soft after getting old.

With the weather apps forecasting rain on the first two days, countering the first 20 overs or so will be a real test for openers from both sides.

Team News:

• England have announced their playing XI for the Test match. 

• India have named Jasprit Bumrah captain, with Rishabh Pant set to serve as his deputy.

Squad:

England:

Ben Stokes (c), Joe Root, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Sam Billings, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Ollie Pope

India:

Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (c), Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Prasidh Krishna

Playing XI:

England:

Zak Crawley, Alex Lees, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Ben Stokes ©, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings (WK), Jack Leach, Stuart Broad, Matthew Potts, James Anderson

India:

Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (c), Mohammed Siraj

Crex XI Suggestion:

Wicket-keeper: Rishabh Pant, Jonny Bairstow

Batters: Joe Root, Virat Kohli, Ollie Pope

All-rounders: Ben Stokes, Ravindra Jadeja

Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, James Anderson, Matthew Potts, Mohammad Shami

Captain: Jonny Bairstow

Vice-captain: Virat Kohli