Mark Wood Rehan Ahmed out of Ranchi Test

ENGLAND TOUR OF INDIA, 2024

Shoaib Bashir made his Test debut in the second fixture in Vizag.

England have opted to maintain their two-pace, two-spin combination for the crucial fourth Test in Ranchi, as Mark Wood and Rehan Ahmed have been replaced by Ollie Robinson and Shoaib Bashir. Following the defeat in Rajkot, England are 1-2 down, and chase series parity at the fourth fixture.

This will be Robinson's first Test appearance since last July when he got injured during the Leeds Ashes Test. He will join the veteran James Anderson as the two quicks in the line-up. Wood, who Robinson replaces, picked four wickets in the first innings of the third game but went for more than four runs an over in both innings.

Bashir, meanwhile, returns after being benched for the Rajkot game following a debut in Vizag where he bowled more than 50 overs across the two innings, went at more than three-and-a-half an over and picked four wickets. Ahmed, who makes way for Bashir has picked 11 wickets so far - the second-best tally for England in the series after Tom Hartley.

After the Rajkot Test was played out on a largely flat surface full of runs, there's been some focus on the expected conditions in Ranchi. Ollie Pope termed the pitch to be 'interesting', while describing the look a couple of days out from the game. England have perhaps kept in mind the need for more control against some of India's aggressive batters against spin, while choosing to pick an additional finger spinner in place of leggie Ahmed. Additionally, in the lead-up to the game, Ben Stokes has been seen bowling his medium pace as well, though he remained coy about the chances of him adding to his team's reserves with the ball in the fourth Test.