Dubai: With the fourth Test match set to begin in couple of days time at the Iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, which will be a day game and played with the traditional red ball, there is a lot at stake for this Test match for both teams.
Team India, which is leading 2/1 after bouncing back from the loss in the first test, needs to either draw or win to qualify for the World Test Championship and play New Zealand in the finals at Lord's this June.
Knowing Virat Kohli and his team, and the aggressive brand of Cricket they have played over the years, it won't be surprising if the team will go for a win rather play for a draw.
It will be interesting to see what sort of surface the groundsman will dish out this time at the Motera after getting a lot of flak for the way the last Test match ended in less than two days time.
Moreover, being a day game, will the red ball be as effective for Indian spinners, especially Axar Patel who picked up 11 wickets and whose arm ball was difficult for all the English Batsman to counter as the Pink Ball hurried on to them and did not give them enough time and were either bowled or LBW.
Sunil Gavaskar had mentioned that England players hardly used their feet and that was one of the main reason they found the straighter Pink Ball difficult to pick of Axar. The great champion had said English players are first taught to sweep than to use their feet and that proved to be their downfall against both Axar Patel and Ashwin.
It will be interesting to see whether England will pick Dom Bess, the extra spinner and replace him with either Stuart Broad who has been wicketless in the two test matches he has played in this series or will England pick an Extra Batsman and make their batting strong.
With the last match getting over in two days, England had almost a week to plan how to counter India's spinners who have picked 36 wickets out of the 40 in the last two Test matches and Root would definitely like his team to put up an improved performance and win the last test match.
A drawn series in India is as good as a win for any touring side and England would go all out to spoil India's party.
