3 reasons why England playing Ollie Robinson in 4th Test vs India is the right move
Ollie Robinson has replaced Mark Wood in the England XI for the fourth Test against India in Ranchi that starts on Friday, February 23. The only other change in the Ben Stokes-led side's lineup is Rehan Ahmed making way for Shoaib Bashir.
The visitors must win this encounter if they want to enter the fifth and final Test match at Dharamsala with hopes of winning the series. England currently trail 2-1 in the series after three Tests.
India have won the last two Tests and are favorites to wrap up the series in the fourth Test itself. However, Ollie Robinson could be the party spoiler for India.
England's playing 11 for 4th Test vs India in Ranchi: Zack Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes (WK), Tom Hartley, Ollie Robinson, James Anderson and Shoaib Bashir.
Here are three reasons why England playing Ollie Robinson in the fourth Test vs India is the right move.
#1 Ollie Robinson has a great record against India
Ollie Robinson has played just four Tests against India, all of which came during India's tour of England in 2021. The five-match Test series ended in a 2-2 stalemate.
While Jasprit Bumrah was adjudged Player of the Series for 23 wickets, Robinson took just two wickets less than him. Moreover, the 30-year-old had a better strike rate, average and economy rate than the Indian pace spearhead.
Overall, Robinson picked up 21 wickets in eight innings at an economy rate of 2.69, an average of 21.33 and a strike rate of 47.52. The Kent pacer also registered two fifers in the series.
#2 Unknown quantity for a lot of Indian batters
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan have all played their roles in India's comeback in the ongoing series. However, none of them were part of the team that toured England in 2021, which means they will be facing Ollie Robinson for the first time.
Rohit Sharma is the only surviving batter from that series, with both KL Rahul and Virat Kohli unavailable at the moment. Robinson troubled Rohit Sharma in that Test series, dismissing him three times in four Tests. He also dismissed top-order Indian batters regularly in that series.
In the Rajkot series, Jaiswal and Sarfaraz showed complete command over the English bowling unit. This has led to Brendon McCullum making two changes in the bowling department, and Robinson has the potential to make an instant impact in Ranchi.
#3 Next best pace option after James Anderson and Mark Wood
England have been a bit light in the pace department after Stuart Broad's retirement and due to Jofra Archer's struggles with injury. The third Test in Rajkot was the first time in this series where both James Anderson and Mark Wood played, showing England's reluctance to depend on their pace battery.
However, the third Test showed that pace will be key going forward for the visitors, as their spinners were taken to the cleaners by the Indian batters. With Anderson turning 42 this summer and Wood's workload being managed, it is only right to give Ollie Robinson a crack at the cherry.
The fourth Test against India at Ranchi will be Robinson's first on Indian soil. While he is nowhere near as fast as Wood, the player he is replacing, he has enough quality to pick up a few wickets and make his selection worth it.