This concludes it: As the thrilling series comes to an end, India wants to win 4-1, but England also wants to win

India and England’s five-match Test series has been as spectacular as the snow-capped mountains that overlook the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) venue.

It has been a series to remember, from England’s incredible victory in Hyderabad to star-power-deprived India’s masterclass in mounting comebacks to take an unstoppable 3-1 lead.

India may have sent a reality check to England’s Bazballers by extending their unbeaten home record to 17 successive Test series victories. India leads the series, but tomorrow’s dead rubber in the foothills of the Himalayas might see another exciting match.

Ben Stokes, the captain of England, wants to win it all. “At 3-1, you would not consider it a success, but I see it from entirely other perspectives, and I believe that as a team, we have made development, even in spite of not getting the outcomes we were hoping for. 3-2 sounds better than 3-1 or 4-1, and that’s definitely what we want to do, Stokes said.

But as the series has demonstrated, Rohit Sharma’s team has always been weak under pressure. You have to be aware that we have taken the pressure and applied it to the other side. Particularly with a bunch of lads who haven’t experienced such pressure, this has been fulfilling,” Rohit said.

Various circumstances

The opening day of the match is probably going to be disrupted by rain given the cold weather here. Compared to the earlier locations, the circumstances here are quite different. After the snowstorm of the previous month, the pitch at HPCA is already gleaming brightly in the morning, providing both teams with a testing opportunity.

Even if the field seemed level on game eve, the precipitation will provide an element of surprise to the match. The highest temperature is predicted to be about 10°C for the first two days before climbing during the weekend.

The venue will be using the same pitch that was utilized for the Ranji Trophy match last month for only its second Test match. It’s interesting to note that in the last four Ranji games, teams scored 300 or more points many times, with Baroda recording the highest total of the season with 482.

As Stokes noted, it certainly seemed to be a “belter.” “When we first arrived, we probably believed that the assault would consist of three seamers and one spinner, but after seeing the wicket and seeing it again today, I believe that using two seamers and two spinners is definitely the best option. Because of our location, we assumed there might be a little more grass on the wicket, but other than that, the wicket looks fantastic,” he said.

Insides and outsides

There was some concern when Shoaib Bashir (who has a painful spinning finger) and Ollie Robinson (who had returned to the England squad) missed training because they had “upset stomachs.” Mark Wood replaced Robinson on the team.

But according to reports, Bashir, who bagged eight wickets in the fourth game, will be allowed to participate. With spinners Jack Leach (knee) and Rehan Ahmed (personal reasons) already out of the trip, Surrey’s uncapped fast bowler Gus Atkinson will be England’s last chance if he is unable to play.

Stokes said, “I don’t think it’s anything to be too concerned about.” “We’ve decided to keep them away from the team because they woke up with slightly upset stomachs and we don’t want to put anybody at risk the day before a game.”

Jasprit Bumrah is expected to rejoin Mohammed Siraj for India, while Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who will play in his 100th Test, will all pose a danger to the English batsmen.

The captain’s backing for the struggling Rajat Patidar today may lead to another opportunity.

“Playing 100 Tests is a significant accomplishment for any player. It’s a significant accomplishment. For us, he has been the match-winner. “There’s not enough praise for what he has done for us,” Rohit said of Ashwin.