The series decider of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at the Oval in London promises to be an exciting match as England enters the match with a 2-1 lead in the series.
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The hosts announced their playing XI on the eve of the match, making four changes to the side that could only manage a draw at Old Trafford. The four changes included captain Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, who will miss the series-deciding clash in London.
Interestingly, England also dropped the lone spinner from the Manchester Test, Liam Dawson and have instead gone ahead with a full-on pace attack, signaling what the team expects from the pitch at the Oval. Read our pitch report here.
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However, youngster Jacob Bethell and veteran batter Joe Root will still contribute as part-time spinners.
R Ashwin thinks 5th Test won't last five days
As India misses Jasprit Bumrah's services for the Test, another prime wicket-taking option, Kuldeep Yadav, was in contention to start in the Indian XI of the final Test of the series.
READ MORE: Arshdeep to make debut in 5th Test against England? Gill reveals
However, the left-arm wrist spinner might have to sit out another game on the bench. With the series on the line and England's announcement of a playing XI focused heavily on fast bowling, Ashwin felt that the pitch would assist fast bowling in Bumrah's absence.
"Looking at the England playing XI, I think spinners won't be involved much. This could be the first non-five-day Test of the series," Ashwin said.
"England are going without any spinner, there is no Liam Dawson, Brydon Carse and Jofra Archer. Instead, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue come in. They have literally flipped the bowling attack," he added.
Ashwin suggested that the match might not last five days due to England’s bowling attack, not because it’s intimidating, but perhaps because the team has chosen to forgo spin-friendly conditions.
According to Ashwin, they have chosen to rely on their batting and pace bowlers to get the job done. He added that Gus Atkinson is expected to play a crucial role, serving as England’s enforcer, a role he’s fulfilled effectively in the past, including during the tour of Pakistan.
England playing XI announced for 5th Test: Check out the India playing XI here
Arshdeep Singh could make his Test debut to assist Siraj, while Akash Deep could return to the lineup after his injury.
Ashwin has been one of the biggest advocates of playing Kuldeep in the series; however, it looks increasingly unlikely that he will get an opportunity at the Oval.