As the highly anticipated fifth and final Test between England and India approaches on Thursday, March 7, at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, England has made a significant change to its playing XI. Mark Wood is set to replace Ollie Robinson, reflecting the team's strategic adjustments following the fourth Test in Ranchi.
Wood's journey in and out of the English side during the series has been notable. Initially, after going wicketless in the opening Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, Wood was omitted for the Visakhapatnam match. However, the team's decision to bring him back for the third Test in Rajkot was followed by Robinson taking his place in the subsequent Ranchi Test.
The confirmed England XI for the Dharamsala Test comprises Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, James Anderson, and Shoaib Bashir.
Despite England's promising start to the series with a victory in the Hyderabad Test, Ben Stokes' team faced a significant setback, conceding the series with one match remaining. Throughout the Tests in Vizag, Ranchi, and Rajkot, England had opportunities to assert dominance over India, yet Rohit Sharma's resilient squad consistently staged comebacks.
While the series is lost, England still has crucial objectives, positioned at the 8th spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 table. A victory in Dharamsala is imperative for the team to climb the WTC ladder. Stokes, grappling with his first series defeat as captain after the Ranchi Test, is determined to rectify the situation and conclude England's challenging tour of India on a positive note.
