Akash Deep

The fourth Test of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 between England and India kicked off at Old Trafford, Manchester, with significant changes to the Indian lineup. Notably, key players Akash Deep and Nitish Kumar Reddy are absent due to injuries, forcing India to make some last-minute adjustments.

Toss Update: England Opt to Bowl First

England won the toss and chose to bowl first, capitalising on the overcast conditions in Manchester. Ben Stokes, speaking at the toss, said,

β€œπ‘Ύπ’†β€™π’—π’† 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 π’ˆπ’‚π’Žπ’†π’” π’ˆπ’ π’…π’π’˜π’ 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’‡π’Šπ’π’‚π’ π’”π’†π’”π’”π’Šπ’π’, π’˜π’‰π’Šπ’„π’‰ π’”π’‘π’†π’‚π’Œπ’” π’—π’π’π’–π’Žπ’†π’” 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’’π’–π’‚π’π’Šπ’•π’š 𝒐𝒇 π’„π’“π’Šπ’„π’Œπ’†π’• π’ƒπ’†π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’‘π’π’‚π’šπ’†π’….”

England made one change, bringing in Liam Dawson in place of Shoaib Bashir, who has been ruled out of the remainder of the series with a finger injury.

Injury Setbacks Force India to Make Key Changes

For India, the absence of all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and pacer Akash Deep due to injuries meant reshuffling the squad. Anshul Kamboj, a fast bowler from Haryana, was handed a Test debut. Shardul Thakur also returned to the XI after featuring in the series opener at Headingley.

Captain Shubman Gill confirmed the changes at the toss:

β€œπ‘¨π’Œπ’‚π’”π’‰ 𝑫𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π‘΅π’Šπ’•π’Šπ’”π’‰ π‘²π’–π’Žπ’‚π’“ π‘Ήπ’†π’…π’…π’š 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕, 𝒔𝒐 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒖𝒍 π‘»π’‰π’‚π’Œπ’–π’“ π’„π’π’Žπ’†π’” π’ƒπ’‚π’„π’Œ 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒖𝒍 π‘²π’‚π’Žπ’ƒπ’π’‹ π’Žπ’‚π’Œπ’†π’” π’‰π’Šπ’” 𝒅𝒆𝒃𝒖𝒕,”

Gill said.

β€œπ‘°π’•β€™π’” 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒏 π’Šπ’π’•π’†π’π’”π’† π’”π’†π’“π’Šπ’†π’” 𝒔𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒓, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’”π’π’Žπ’† 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒉 π’Žπ’π’Žπ’†π’π’•π’” 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏’𝒕 π’ˆπ’π’π’† 𝒐𝒖𝒓 π’˜π’‚π’š, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 π’˜π’†β€™π’—π’† π’…π’†π’‡π’Šπ’π’Šπ’•π’†π’π’š π’…π’π’Žπ’Šπ’π’‚π’•π’†π’… π’Žπ’π’“π’† π’”π’†π’”π’”π’Šπ’π’π’”.”

Additionally, Sai Sudharsan was included in place of Karun Nair, marking three changes in India’s lineup for this crucial Test. Kamboj was selected ahead of Prasidh Krishna, who remains on the bench.

With multiple injuries affecting both sides, the fourth Test promises to be another hard-fought contest in what has been an exciting and balanced series so far.

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