Match: India v England, 4th Test
Date: 8 - 12, December
Time: 12pm SGT/9:30am IST/4am GMT
Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
TV Channel: In Singapore, the live TV coverage will be on Star Cricket.
Live Streaming: Hotstar
Overview
India take on England in the fourth of the five-match One Day International Series in Mumbai from 8 September. The hosts have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series and are looking set to add to their count. On the other hand, England will have to win the next two to prevent India from beating them for the first time since 2008. Notably, Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led India were never successful against the Englishmen since the 2011 tour, in which they were whitewashed 4-0.
Virat Kohli's team though looks formidable and they have taken the upper-hand in the series by virtue of team efforts. The pitches so far in the ongoing tour have not been rank turners, unlike the ones South Africa were treated to last year. However, the Indian bowlers have bowled better than their English counterparts and have produced results.
Even in Mohali, when India's demolition men, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, got little assistance from the track, pacers Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav chipped in and picked up crucial wickets to dent England's progress. Also, India's lower-order has delivered consistently with the bat throughout the series, and on more than one occasion, has bailed the team out of trouble.
On the other hand, England's batting-order has let them down. Except for one time, the first innings in Rajkot, the visitors have not gone past the 300-run mark on less hostile batting conditions. Also, their spinners, except Adil Rashid, have not performed up to the mark and captain Alastair Cook's preference of six specialist bowlers has come into question.
England have also lost in-form opener Haseeb Hameed to injury. Durham opener Keaton Jennings will likely earn his maiden Test cap on Thursday and partner Cook at the top. All-rounder Liam Dawson has also been called up to replace injured Zafar Ansari.
Both Cook and coach Trevor Bayliss have to make best use of the resources and quickly buckle up before the series gets out of hands.
TV Schedule
Singapore: Star Cricket
Malaysia: Astro Cricket
India: Star Sports 1, Star Sports 3
South Africa: Supersport 2
UK: Sky Sports 2
US: Willow TV
Middle East: OSN Sports Cricket
Team News
India
Possible XI: Kohli(c), Vijay, Rahul, Pujara, Rahane, Parthiv (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Jayant, Umesh, Shami
England
Possible XI: Cook (c), Jennings,Root, Ali, Stokes, Bairstow (wk), Buttler, Woakes, Dawson, Rashid, Anderson
