India vs England: 4th Test, Day 2 | Live Match Updates | IND vs ENG Live Score & Commentary
1The JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi stands out as a beautifully crafted venue, boasting first-world allure unmatched elsewhere in India. Encircled by a white picket fence, complemented by two petite grass banks and an antiquated manual scoreboard, the stadium exudes charm. The cooler temperatures, attributed to the city's altitude, further enhance its appeal, making England feel surprisingly at ease during their recent stay. However, amidst this picturesque setting lies a potential challenge for the visiting team.
Ben Stokes recently confessed his bewilderment at the peculiar nature of the pitch prepared for the fourth Test in Ranchi, admitting to having never encountered anything quite like it before. Ollie Pope echoed this sentiment, describing the surface as "interesting," noting its "platey" and crumbly texture two days prior to the match. The England vice-captain even ventured to speculate on the advantageous bowling end for R Ashwin, given the visible rough outside the right-hander's off-stump at one end. In contrast, Vikram Rathour regarded it as a "typical" Indian wicket expected to offer turn, albeit uncertain about its timing.
The enigma of Ranchi lies in its pitch, which often appears worse than it plays. In 2017, Australia expressed concern over the dark hue of the black-soil pitch and its damp patches, yet the match concluded in a lackluster draw as the surface held firm throughout. Similarly, the 2019 Test witnessed another benign pitch conducive to batting across all four days. Reflecting on India's innings win then, former coach Ravi Shastri dismissed pitch concerns with a casual "to hell with the pitches."
Fast forward five years, and the pitch remains a secondary concern for India. Instead, their focus shifts to compensating for the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, whose pivotal role has been evident throughout the series. Bumrah's absence poses a significant challenge, particularly considering India's reliance on good batting surfaces and their desire to spare their young batters from undue pressure. How the bowling unit adapts in Bumrah's absence will be pivotal, drawing upon the recent precedent set when R Ashwin had to depart due to a family emergency.
A victory in Ranchi would secure yet another series triumph for India at home, extending their unbeaten streak since the 2012-13 season. Although England emerged victorious in the 2012-13 series, there's optimism that the current squad can replicate or even surpass that feat. While England has showcased individual brilliance with the bat during this tour, their inability to capitalize on such performances and impose a series deficit on India underscores the limitations of their bowling unit, lacking the experience of predecessors like Swann and Panesar. However, the prospect of a turning pitch in Ranchi presents an opportunity for players like Bashir and Hartley to shine. Maximizing this opportunity and effectively navigating Bumrah's absence will be decisive factors shaping the outcome of both the match and the series.
Squads:
India Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Axar Patel, Srikar Bharat, Washington Sundar, Devdutt Padikkal, Akash Deep
England Squad: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes(c), Ben Foakes(w), Tom Hartley, Ollie Robinson, James Anderson, Shoaib Bashir, Mark Wood, Rehan Ahmed, Daniel Lawrence, Gus Atkinson
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