4th Test: Akash Deep handed debut cap, Ahmed returns home as England opt to bat first vs India

India Hands Test Debut to Akash Deep as England Elect to Bat First

In the fourth Test at the JSCA International Stadium on Friday, India handed a Test debut to fast-bowler Akash Deep as England won the toss and elected to bat first. India are currently leading the series 2-1 and need a win in Ranchi to take an unassailable lead.

Akash Deep, a consistent performer for Bengal and India ‘A’ in the red-ball format, was handed his maiden Test cap by head coach Rahul Dravid. He becomes the 313th men’s player to play Test cricket for India. His debut comes after India opted to rest fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for the Ranchi Test.

India captain Rohit Sharma said, “We would have batted first as well. Looks a bit dry and has some cracks, but that’s the nature of the pitch here. The last two games were good for us and we’ll have to play in the same way. Proud of a lot of young guys in the squad, they’ve taken the responsibility and have taken the challenge head-on. They are confident in their skills, moving forward it’s a good thing.”

England, on the other hand, have brought in fast-bowler Ollie Robinson and off-spinner Shoaib Bashir into their playing eleven, in place of Mark Wood and Rehan Ahmed respectively on a pitch which looks dry and has cracks already.

Regarding the decision to bat first, England captain Ben Stokes said, “We will bat first. 2-1 down, a bit more important in the context of the series, but every game is important. The first one hour will give us an idea about how the pitch will play, but it was always going to be a bat-first track. My bowling is coming off well, it’s been a long time coming. I’m happy with the way we’ve operated throughout the series and looking forward to more of the same.”

In a statement, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said that Ahmed will return home from the India tour for personal reasons with immediate effect and will not be returning to India for the rest of the tour.

The playing XIs for the match are as follows:
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (captain), Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Tom Hartley, Ollie Robinson, Shoaib Bashir, and James Anderson

The match promises to be an exciting encounter as both teams are eager to make their mark in the series.