IND vs ENG LIVE 4th Test: Team India will have their backs against the wall when they head into the field for the fourth test against England at the Oval. The hosts levelled the series with a crushing victory at Headingley and will be carrying the momentum into the Oval Test, where England haven’t lost to India in the last 50 years. Team India captain Virat Kohli will look to set the record straight, while also end his own barren run with the bat when the action resumes on Thursday.
IND vs ENG LIVE 4th Test: Can India bounce back in the 4th test, captain Virat Kohli holds the key, check why?
Virat Kohli is under a lean patch and has now gone 19 innings without a Test century, ever since his average has also dipped to 24.68 in the last 11 Tests. He has three 50+ scores in the meantime, 74 vs Australia, 72 vs England at home and 55 in the last innings at Headingley. The Indian skipper has seen his technique being questioned, after having repeatedly fallen victim to a good length ball close to the off stump.
And while Kohli has been kept quiet by the James Anderson led bowling attack, Joe Root understands that his bowlers need to continue doing the same if they have to win the series. He said, “Everyone has their own styles and ways of batting and he should know given the kind of form he is in. The art of cricket is knowing when to play what…to the best of your ability…and repeat that. There’s no one right way to bat. Can you find a method that’s sustainable? The credit needs to go to our bowling attack, Virat is a world-class player hence the credit needs to be given to the bowling group. We have been able to keep him quiet, it is an extremely good effort from our bowling group and it is something we have to continue if we have to win this series.
Kohli’s 55 in the last innings, which marked his 50+ score in eight innings, could well be the seed for a successful resurgence. While Kohli has largely excelled as a leader, his batting remains one of the keys to India’s success. Since his last century, India have played 11 Tests and won only four with a win per cent of 36 under Kohli. In those 11 Tests, Kohli has scored just 469 runs, and his strike rate has also fallen from 57 to just 42 over the patch. The Indian captain will have to do a lot more for India to pull off a comeback victory and abandon the ghosts of the 2014 series. As stats show, Kohli’s captaincy needs support from Kohli’ bat, and Indians will hope that both do the talking when they line up for the Oval Test.
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