England Vs India 2018: 3 things India should fix in the final Test match

England v India: Specsavers 4th Test - Day Three
Kohli's men need to fix several issues to obtain a victory in the last Test match

India started the England tour on a positive note because India won the T20 series. But after the T20 series, it has been a downfall for the Men in Blue. Eventually, India lost the ODI series as well as the Test series.

The last Test match of the tour will begin shortly and India should aim to finish the tour with a win. Kohli's men need to fix several issues to obtain a victory in the last Test match. For instance, India's batting has been disastrous and the Indian batsmen collapsed easily in the English conditions. Though skipper Kohli is the leading run-scorer of the series, the other batsmen have failed miserably.

India's dismal performance has drawn criticism from the Cricket world. Several legends of the game are unhappy with India's performance in England and it is certainly not expected from the number one Test team in the world. Here are the 3 things India should fix before the 5th Test match at Kennington Oval:


#3 Drop Ravichandran Ashwin or Hardik Pandya

England v India: Specsavers 4th Test - Day One
Ashwin's performances have been below-par in the series

Both Ashwin and Hardik have performed well in one game of the series, but they have been ordinary in the rest of the matches.

Ashwin's performance was phenomenal in the first Test match where he picked seven wickets.

Afterwards, he took only four wickets in the next three Test matches and he went wicketless in the second Test. On the other hand, he has not managed to score big runs yet as a batsman.

Similarly, Hardik Pandya was the hero in the third Test and his performance helped India to win the match.

But his performance has been substandard in the rest of the series, both with the bat and the ball. His inconsistency has hampered India's performance and he could lose his place in the next game.

India can try Ravindra Jadeja who is a prolific all-rounder and an exceptional fielder. Otherwise, India can play with an extra specialist batsman at The Oval.

#2 Rishabh Pant should bat at the top of the batting order

England v India: Specsavers 4th Test - Day Four
Pant generally plays as a top-order batsman in domestic Cricket and IPL

Rishabh Pant is one of the best wicket-keeper batsmen in India and he made his Test debut in the third Test. But he did not live up to his name in his first two Test matches. As a matter of fact, Pant is a top-order batsman and he should not play as a lower-order batsman.

Pant generally plays as a top-order batsman in domestic Cricket and IPL. In fact, his batting form has been magnificent this year.

Pant finished as the second highest run-scorer of the IPL this year and he was playing as a top-order batsman for the Delhi Daredevils. Likewise, his domestic Test record is equally impressive where he has an average of 55.

Pant is an attacking batsman who can play big shots from the first ball. He has a wide range of strokes and he can play big knocks under the pressure.

#1 Prithvi Shaw needs to make his debut

England Lions v India A - Day Two
The 18-year old talented opener Prithvi Shaw is part of the squad and he should be given a chance in the next game

India's openers have been the biggest let down of the Test series and they consistently failed to provide a good start.

Murali Vijay lost his place after scoring just 26 runs in the first two Test matches. But KL Rahul is also finding hard to make runs and he could lose his place in the next game. Meanwhile, Rahul's recent overseas record is quite embarrassing. He scored only 171 runs in his last 10 overseas innings at an average of 13.

Similarly, Shikhar Dhawan struggled throughout the series and he has not scored a half-century yet. The 18-year old talented opener Prithvi Shaw is part of the squad and he should be given a chance in the next game. The youngster is an adroit batsman who is capable of playing big knocks. Shaw has an impressive domestic record in his young career. He has scored seven centuries and five half-centuries in 14 First-class matches.

Additionally, he has an awe-inspiring average of 56. His temperament is noteworthy and he can definitely make a big difference in the fifth Test match.

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Edited by Alan John