Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik believes spin might come into play for the visitors on a decisive day four of the fifth Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test if the fast bowlers fail to take early wickets.
With England requiring 324 more runs to complete the chase of 374 and secure a 3-1 series victory, India need to take out the remaining wickets to achieve an improbable victory and tie the series scoreline at 2-2.
England will resume day four’s play on 50/1 after Zak Crawley was bowled by Mohammed Siraj on the last ball of day three. “India will have to replicate their performance from England’s first innings and bowl a lot of pace consistently – but I do think spin will play a part. Will it be a significant part? It could be if the fast bowlers don’t strike early on, but ideally, the pacers should take 60-70 per cent of the wickets.”
“Seamers Deep and Siraj will have a big role to play. Deep gets the ball to seam away and looks like a guy that can get wickets – if he gets his length right and hits that eight-metre mark,” Karthik was quoted as saying on Sky Sports’ broadcast.
England has a history of chasing big scores in Tests – they chased down 378 against India at Edgbaston in 2022 and hunted down 371 in the opening Test of this series at Headingley last month.
“The surface has a lot of grass on it so things will happen quicker so if England get even close here I think they will have done twice the job they did at Headingley. They will have to bat out of their skins,” added former India head coach Ravi Shastri.
