India vs England 4th Test, Manchester 2025 – Old Trafford Showdown
Series: Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy | India tour of England
Match: Fourth Test, Old Trafford, Manchester (July 23–27, 2025)
Context: England lead 2–1 in the five-Test series and need one more win to seal it. India must bounce back to keep the series alive.
India vs England 4th Test: Toss & Team News
Toss: England won and surprisingly chose to bowl first—an unusual decision at Old Trafford, where no team had won after bowling first in 85 Tests.
Team Changes (India): Three players were rotated in; uncapped pacer Anshul Kamboj made his debut, replacing injured Nitish Kumar Reddy and Akash Deep. Sai Sudharsan retained his place; Karun Nair stayed despite speculation.
Expert opinion: Former England pacer Steve Harmison suggested India might deploy three spinners to exploit pitch conditions, while England likely stick to their standard seam-heavy attack.
Conditions & Pitch
Old Trafford’s typical overcast and cloudy weather favors early seam movement. Rain interruptions remain a concern, though outfields have improved post-pitch restorations.
Key Indian Players to Watch
KL Rahul: Reached 1,000 Test runs in England—a milestone achieved by only a handful of Indian players overseas, joining elite company.
Shubman Gill: Series top-scorer with over 600 runs at an average above 100, showcasing rich form early in the series.
With injuries to seam options, India’s only bowling all-rounders are Jadeja and Washington Sundar, with a spin-heavy balance likely.
England Lineup & Strategy
- Captain: Ben Stokes (also opted to bowl first)
- Batting Depth: Joe Root, Zak Crawley, and Jamie Smith among those building England’s sturdy lineup.
- Coach: Brendon McCullum has matured the “Bazball with brains” philosophy—aggressive but strategically disciplined.
- Bowling: Jofra Archer returned with pace; Shoaib Bashir had been performing until injury ruled him out mid-series, replaced by Liam Dawson.
Match Dynamics – What Changes This Time?
| Aspect | Key Insight |
|---|---|
| Toss Decision | England bowl first—defying Old Trafford tradition |
| India’s Bowling Mix | Likely 3 spinners to offset seam decline |
| Batting Reliance | Shubman Gill & KL Rahul critical after early setbacks |
| England Bowling Spin | Brace for Shoaib Bashir’s absence |
| Mindset | India fight back vs. England closing series |
Importance of the Result
A win for England crowns them series champions and secures the inaugural Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy, introduced in 2025 to replace previous series trophies.
A win for India forces the series onto a decider in the 5th Test at Headingley—keeping them alive in the ICC World Test Championship cycle.
What to Expect from Key Battles
Shubman Gill vs England Pace: Need to convert his current purple patch into another century in Manchester.
KL Rahul & India’s Batsmen: Can they anchor India under pressure and build meaningful partnerships?
India’s Spin Trio vs England Middle Order: Will Jadeja, Sundar, and Kuldeep Yadav exploit the Old Trafford surface?
England’s Seam Attack: Can they exploit early movement and breach India’s top order?
Series Momentum till Now
England edged close win at Lord’s (3rd Test), turning the series lead in their favor.
India showed fight early with Rohit Sharma and Jaiswal centuries but eventually fell short.
With several injuries to India’s seamers and recalls for fresh faces, the 4th Test becomes a tactical and mental test.
Summary & Stakes
India’s resilience, England’s tactical innovation, and historic backdrop of the new Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy make this 4th Test the season’s turning point. As Shubman Gill leads India’s batting surge and England lean on their “Bazball with brains” model, expect a gripping tactical chess match at Old Trafford.
Watch Details
Broadcast (India): Sony Sports Network & JioCinema
Broadcast (UK): Sky Sports Cricket
Live Commentary: talkSPORT (with expert analysts Harmison, Coney, Lloyd)
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