England Win Toss, Opt to Bat in Fifth Test

AFP/APP

DHARAMSALA: England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat first against India on Thursday as the visitors seek a consolation victory in the fifth and final Test.

India, led by Rohit Sharma, lost the opening match of the series but responded strongly to establish an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-Test series.

The Dharamsala Test marks a major milestone for both sides. England batsman Jonny Bairstow earned his 100th Test cap, while India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also reached the landmark of 100 Test appearances at the picturesque venue, set against the snow-capped Himalayas.

Unseasonal rain had affected the build-up to the match, with forecasts warning of cold conditions and sleet on the opening day. However, players were welcomed by bright sunshine on Thursday morning.

Former England captain Joe Root presented Bairstow with his 100th cap in a ceremony attended by the batsman’s mother, sister, partner and son.

India also held a ceremony to mark Ashwin’s milestone, with head coach Rahul Dravid presenting the veteran spinner with his 100th Test cap in the presence of his wife and two daughters. Ashwin was later given a guard of honour by his Indian teammates as he walked onto the field.

England announced their playing XI on the eve of the match, making one change from the side that suffered defeat in the previous Test. Fast bowler Mark Wood replaced Ollie Robinson.

Spinner Shoaib Bashir was also back in action after missing Wednesday’s training session due to a stomach illness.

Meanwhile, veteran England seamer James Anderson, 41, needs just two wickets to become only the third bowler in Test history to reach 700 wickets. Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan leads the list with 800, followed by Australia’s late great Shane Warne with 708.

India made two changes to their lineup. Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah returned after being rested for the fourth Test, replacing Akash Deep. Batter Devdutt Padikkal was also handed his Test debut after Rajat Patidar suffered an injury during training on Wednesday.

India have not lost a Test series at home since 2012, when Alastair Cook’s England secured a 2-1 series victory.

Teams

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravindra Jadeja, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah.

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (captain), Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, James Anderson, Shoaib Bashir.

Umpires: Joel Wilson (WIS), Rod Tucker (AUS)

TV Umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)

Match Referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL).