India and England are preparing hard for the fourth and final Test of the ongoing series, which starts on Thursday at Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. The home side needs either a draw or win to book their place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, while England will focus to level the series 2-2.
After the third Test, there was much debate regarding the pitch of Motera. Many experts of the game dropped their views, with some supporting the track and others criticising the surface. However, players from both camps haven’t shown any such problem with the pitch. Ahead of the final contest, they expect the Ahmedabad surface to support the spinners.
But what should England do to counter the spin? Well, former English captain Nasser Hussian has come up with a game plan for the Joe Root-led side and explained what England need to do in the fourth Test.
In his column for the Daily Mail, Hussain wrote that the visitors should cross the 200-run mark in the first innings. The cricketer-turned-commentator observed that if England went pass 200 in their first essay of the third Test, they might have registered victory in Ahmedabad.
“The key for England in this final Test is those first innings runs. They haven’t got past 200 in their last five innings and if they had managed to get there the first time in Ahmedabad, they probably would have gone on to win the Test,” wrote Hussain.
In the series opener, England defeated India by 227 runs after the visitors posted a big first-innings total. Hussain suggested his countrymen to take inspiration from their performance in the first Test in order to come back in the rhythm.
“India are still under pressure. If England can get that first innings score, as they had been doing before the last two Tests, and get their second spinner in business — as India have done — there is still hope for Root in this series,” added Hussain.
