"Absolute belter" - Ben Stokes' verdict on Dharamsala surface ahead of 5th IND vs ENG Test

England skipper Ben Stokes has opined that the pitch for the fifth and final Test against India in Dharamsala is a "belter". The 32-year-old believes that two spinners and two pacers is the right call on the wicket.

The tourists have made only one change for the fifth and final Test against India, which will begin on Thursday. With Ollie Robinson underperforming in the fourth Test in Ranchi, he has been replaced by Mark Wood.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Stokes, who initially expected some grass on the wicket, stated that it looks excellent.

"Before we even got here, we were probably thinking it was going to be a three seamer one spinner attack but then when we saw the wicket and then saw it again today, I think going with two seamers and two spinners is probably the right call. We felt there would probably a bit more grass on the wicket just because of where we are but overall the wicket looks an absolute belter."

Wood played the first Test in Hyderabad and the fourth in Rajkot. He took only four wickets, which came in the first innings in Rajkot. Bashir, meanwhile, finished with eight wickets in Ranchi.

"3-2 sounds better than 3-1 or 4-1" - Ben Stokes

Stokes further conceded that things haven't gone their way, but said England are determined to make the scoreline 3-2. The seam-bowling all-rounder added:

"At 3-1, you think it's not been a success but I look at it with completely different angles to that and I think we've definitely progressed as a team even though we haven't got the results we wanted. You know, 3-2 sounds better than 3-1 or 4-1 and that's obviously what we're looking to do."

Should India lose in Dharamsala, it would be the first time since 2012 that they suffer two defeats in a home series.