After losing a thrilling first Test against England in Hyderabad, India have roared back with victories in Visakhapatnam and Rajkot and they are hot favourites to go 3-1 up in the five-match series in Ranchi.

Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum will need all their motivational powers to rouse England after last week’s crushing 434-run defeat – their heaviest Test loss in terms of runs since 1934.

India have chosen to rest fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, the leading wicket-taker in the series, but pitch reports suggest that England’s batsmen will face a trial by spin when the fourth Test starts at 4am on Friday with live ball-by-ball coverage on talkSPORT.

India vs England fourth Test tips

• Shoaib Bashir to be England Top Bowler – 1st Innings @ 7/2
• Sarfaraz Khan to be India Top Batter – 1st Innings @ 21/5
• England – Runs At Fall of Wicket 1 – Over 23.5 @ 17/20

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Bashir bidding to stand tall for England

While India weigh up the possibility of playing four spinners – Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel – England have made two changes to the bowling attack who struggled in Rajkot.

Seamer Ollie Robinson and off-spinner Shoaib Bashir will replace Mark Wood and Rehan Ahmed on a pitch that skipper Stokes has diplomatically described as “interesting”.

The previous two Test matches in Ranchi produced six individual centuries, including double-tons for India’s Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara, but a spin-friendly wicket is expected this time around.

The 6ft 4in off-spinner Bashir was a left-field selection for England’s tour, having played only six first-class matches for Somerset, but he could play a crucial role in the fourth Test.

England are banking on his awkward bounce causing problems for India’s batsmen and he picked up four wickets, including opener Rohit and number three Shubman Gill, on a solid debut in Vizag.

Bashir bowled 38 overs in the first innings of the second Test – 20 more than any other England spinner – and that experience may help him shine on his second appearance of the series.

Sarfaraz should kick on after eye-catching debut

The absences of Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer mean there is an unfamiliar look to the Indian middle-order but Sarfaraz Khan seized his long-awaited opportunity in style last week.

The 26-year-old has an extraordinary first-class record, averaging 70.91 after 46 matches, and he cracked 161 for India A against England Lions in Ahmedabad last month.

He relished the step up to face the senior England team in Rajkot, making 62 off 66 balls before an unfortunate run-out in the first innings and adding an unbeaten 68 from 72 in the second dig.

Sarfaraz’s controlled aggression was hugely impressive – he hit 15 fours and four sixes on his Test debut – and he is worth backing to top-score in India’s first innings in Ranchi.   

England openers can deliver another strong start

England’s middle-order has failed to fire in the last two Tests, with veterans Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow short of runs, but their openers should be backed to make another fast start.

Ben Duckett scored a blistering 153 in the third Test, dominating a first-wicket partnership of 89 with Zak Crawley, and they will be relieved not to be facing India’s new-ball ace Bumrah in the fourth game of the five-match series.

Crawley made 76 and 73 in the second Test in Vizag and the aggressive openers can clear a runs line of 23.5 in the first innings in Ranchi, having shared stands of 55, 45, 59, 50, 89 and 15 in the first three matches.

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