July 23, 2025: India vs England – As Team India gets ready to play England in the important 4th Test at Old Trafford, Manchester, they have a tough job ahead of them. The Shubman Gill-led team is under a lot of pressure to even the series at 1-2. They also have to deal with a bad record at this site, where they have never won in nine matches (four losses and five draws).
India’s strategy is made more difficult by a few important injuries. Because all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is out with a knee injury, they need to reassess their favorite three-all-rounder combination. Shardul Thakur is a direct replacement possibility, but his inconsistency may lead India to choose a squad with more specialists. This might open the door for Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair to play, with Ravindra Jadeja as the only spinner.
The pace department has even more problems, as Akash Deep is doubtful because of a groin injury. This could give uncapped Anshul Kamboj a chance to make his Test debut with well-known pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Kamboj has done well in training and on the India A trip. On the bright side, Rishabh Pant should be able to start keeping wickets again, and KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja’s experience is still very important for the Indian team.
England has made one change to their lineup after their recent 22-run win at Lord’s. Liam Dawson will take the place of the injured spinner Shoaib Bashir. The weather forecast says it will rain in Manchester, which will be good for seam bowlers. This means the match is likely to be quite exciting.
Harry Brook of England called the series “an amazing series” since the games were so close and intense. The Old Trafford Test, which is important because of its history and the high stakes right now, is sure to be a decisive moment in this exciting match.
Weather and Pitch Report: The Old Trafford pitch has mostly been covered up because of the rain, and that should help quick bowlers. However, some local experts, like David Lloyd and Michael Vaughan, say that it might be flatter than predicted, which could help spin as the game goes on.
Day 1 (July 23): It was cloudy and there was a shower in the afternoon.
Day 2 (July 24): There will be clouds, sun, and a few showers.
Day 3 (July 25): The day was mostly cloudy.
Day 4 (July 26): It was cloudy all day, but there were times when the sun came out and it rained after tea.
Day 5 (July 27): It will be gloomy again, and there is a risk of rain in the afternoon.
England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bowl first, which is something that has not often worked well for teams at Old Trafford. This added another level of interest to Day 1.