Ben Stokes and company are set to face Team India for the fourth time in the series. However, ahead of the fourth test match, former England’s skipper Alistar Cook has urged England’s team to make a few changes in their playing 11.
England’s former captain Alistar Cook has requested that England drop Johnny Bairstow for the fourth test match of the series. Johnny Bairstow has so far had a tough time in the series, with the bat averaging 17.00. He has scored 0, 4, 25, 37, 26, and 10 across six innings.
Speaking of the same, Alistair Cook believes that “I’m taking him out of the firing line to protect him as a player, as I think he has had a tough time with the bat in this tour so far, and India is a tough place to keep going.”
Cook believes that England should replace Bairstow with Dan Lawrence in the ranchi test as he can be effective with both bat and ball.
On the other hand, Team India will also be without the services of two of their star players, Jasprit Bumrah and Kl Rahul, as Jasprit Bumrah has been rested to manage his workload while Kl Rahul continues to recover from the quadriceps strain that he suffered in the first test match of the series in Hyderabad.
Team India and England will tussle against one another on February 23 for the fourth test match of the series in Ranchi. India is currently leading the series by 2-1.
