India's predicted XI for the 4th Test against England
An entertaining red-ball series will draw to a close in Ahmedabad as India and England face off in the 4th Test.
Talk about the pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium has refused to die down, with players from both sides - apart from numerous experts - adding their pinch of salt to the pot. The wicket for the final Test is expected to favour the batsmen a bit more, since hosts India need only a draw to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship.
Here is India's predicted playing XI for the 4th Test against England.
India's squad and predicted XI for the 4th Test vs England
India squad for the 4th Test: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav
Openers: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill
India's solid opening combination has largely been a one-man show this series. Rohit Sharma has been a class apart on difficult pitches to bat on, while his partner Shubman Gill has given his wicket away cheaply more often than not.
Rohit will look to cap off a superb series with a significant knock, and Gill needs a long innings as well to boost his confidence and repay the team management's evident faith in him.
Middle Order: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk)
India's middle order shouldn't see any changes. Cheteshwar Pujara hasn't had a series to remember, with misfortune and truly good deliveries ensuring that he hasn't spent too much time at the crease. He'll eye a three-figure score, which he hasn't made since the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Captain Virat Kohli is another man struggling to score hundreds, and this Test will present the final opportunity to do so in red-ball cricket for a while. Ajinkya Rahane, who recently brushed aside criticism of his poor home performances, also needs a substantial knock in the match.
Following the experienced trio will be Rishabh Pant, who managed only 1 run in the previous Test. He is in superb form both in front of and behind the stumps, and we might see him make the final Test of the series a memorable one.