The fourth Test of the five-match series between India and England will be played at Old Trafford in Manchester from July 23. England currently leads the series 2-1. After securing victories at Headingley and Lord’s, Ben Stokes and his team are riding high on confidence. On the other hand, a young Indian side led by Shubman Gill will be aiming for a strong comeback. However, the challenge won’t be easy, as India will be playing at a venue where they have never won a Test match.
Despite being led by some of India’s greatest captains, the team has not managed to register a single win at Manchester. Now, Gill has the golden opportunity to change history and surpass the records of iconic captains like Sunil Gavaskar and MS Dhoni.
India has played a total of nine Tests at Old Trafford so far. England has won four of them, while the remaining five ended in a draw. Team India has a brilliant chance to break this pattern of losses and draws. A win in Manchester would level the series 2-2, putting pressure back on England. The final Test will then be played at Kennington Oval from July 31.
A similar situation had occurred at Edgbaston in Birmingham, where India also had a poor record. However, under Gill’s captaincy, the team made history. India will be hoping to repeat that performance in Manchester.
This young Indian squad touring England under Gill’s leadership wasn’t considered a favourite by any cricket expert. However, India has surprised everyone in the first three Tests, giving a tough fight to the more experienced English side. The loss at Headingley came due to one poor session, and the defeat at Lord’s was the result of a batting collapse in the fourth innings. There are some areas where the team has underperformed, and the management will be keen to fix these before the fourth Test.
India has previously played at Old Trafford under the leadership of several captains: Vizianagram (1936), Nawab of Pataudi Sr. (1946), Vijay Hazare (1952), Datta Gaekwad (1959), Ajit Wadekar (1971 & 1974), Sunil Gavaskar (1982), Mohammad Azharuddin (1990), and MS Dhoni (2014). Shubman Gill will now become the ninth Indian captain to lead the side at this venue.
India managed to draw the matches in 1936, 1946, 1971, 1982, and 1990. However, England claimed victories in 1952, 1959, 1974, and 2014.