India has a chance to create history in the Old Trafford Test—a pitch conducive to fast bowlers, weather that favors swing, and Gill eyeing a record-breaking feat.
IND vs ENG 4th: The thrilling five-match Test series between India and England is at a crucial juncture. Trailing 2-1, the Indian team faces a 'do or die' situation. The fourth Test will be played at the historic Emirates Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, where the pitch and the weather could both dictate the course of the match. The questions now are: Can Shubman Gill create history? Will Jasprit Bumrah's swing work its magic? And will the Indian team taste Test victory on this ground for the first time?
Old Trafford Pitch: A Fast Bowler's Paradise
Manchester's Old Trafford is one of the select grounds in England where fast bowlers get significant bounce and seam movement from the outset. Especially with the new ball, bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Aakash Deep can trouble the opposition batsmen in the first two days. The grass on the pitch and the humidity in the atmosphere are expected to favor swing.
Spinners to Dominate from Day Three
Although fast bowlers will dominate the first two days, the influence of spinners will increase as the pitch wears. England's Shoaib Bashir or India's Ravindra Jadeja could change the game's complexion from the third day onwards. The same trend was observed the last time a Test was played at this ground.
Toss Will Be Decisive
Teams winning the toss at this ground often prefer to bat first. Looking at the statistics, teams batting first have won 36 out of 84 Test matches. The average first innings score here is around 330 runs, suggesting that a good start can help a team establish control over the match.
India's Test History at Old Trafford
The Indian team has never won a Test match at this Manchester ground. In the 9 Test matches played so far, India has faced defeat in 4 and drawn 5. The last time India played on this ground was in 2014, and the Indian team suffered a crushing defeat.
- 1936 - Draw
- 1946 - Draw
- 1952 - Loss
- 1959 - Loss
- 1971 - Draw
- 1974 - Loss
- 1982 - Draw
- 1990 - Draw
- 2014 - Loss
Manchester Weather: Battle Against Clouds and Rain
According to reports, Manchester will be cloudy on the first day of the Test match, i.e., July 23rd. However, there is a 20% chance of light rain on the fourth and fifth days. The temperature is expected to be between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius, and the humidity will be around 65%. This environment could prove to be heaven for swing bowlers. Bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and England's Chris Woakes can wreak havoc in these conditions. The good news is that there is no possibility of heavy rain, allowing the match to be played for the full 5 days.
Golden Opportunity for Shubman Gill to Create History
While India has never won a Test at Old Trafford, Shubman Gill has the chance to break Sunil Gavaskar's 54-year-old record. He needs just 168 runs in this Test to become the Indian batsman with the most runs in a series on English soil.
Who Can Win?
The England team is considered b in home conditions, but India also has experienced players like Bumrah, Ashwin, and Rohit who can turn the tide of the match in any situation. If the batsmen can put up a good score in the first innings, it could be a historic victory for India.
