3 important things India must do on Day 4 of the 5th ENG vs IND 2025 Test ft. using Ravindra Jadeja's bowling

The fifth Test between India and England is into its final innings at The Oval in London. In all likelihood, Day 4 of the Test on Sunday, August 3 will be the final day of cricket in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

England need 324 runs to clinch the series, but they will probably be without Chris Woakes' batting. With nine wickets in the shed, the hosts will look to pull off another memorable chase under Brendon McCullum.

India, meanwhile, will be confident of taking eight wickets and leveling the series scoreline. The forecast indicates that there will be a full day of cricket, so Shubman Gill and Co. will be raring to give it one final push.

On that note, here are three important things India must do on Day 4 of the fifth England vs India Test.

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#3 Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar can be trusted more with the ball

England v India - 5th Rothesay Test Match: Day Three - Source: Getty

dia's three pacers will no doubt be set to bowl their heart out one final time in the series, but Shubman Gill will need to keep them fresh. If he wants to give them short breathers, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar can be relied upon to keep the runs in check. The spinners have bowled extremely well whenever called upon.

In fact, Jadeja and Sundar may even get a bit of purchase from the surface. Jacob Bethell got one to rip past the outside edge in the first over of play on Day 3, and both Indian spinners put a lot of revs on the ball. Sundar has even been effective without any help from the pitch, with his drift causing major problems for England's right-handers.

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#2 India need to continue using in-out fields

England v India - 5th Rothesay Test Match: Day Two - Source: Getty

In the final hour of play on Day 3, Gill and the team think tank did something very intelligent. They had a sweeper out on the boundary for Zak Crawley while keeping their close-in catchers, and that kind of in-out field proved effective.

England are known to come hard at the bowling, especially in fourth-innings chases. By depriving them of boundaries, India can upset their rhythm while retaining their ability to take any catching opportunities that come.

On Day 4 as well, India need to adopt the same strategy. The likes of Ben Duckett, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith will certainly look to score at a quick pace, especially if the conditions are tough for batting. It took the visitors five Tests, but they finally seem to have caught on.

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#1 India must apply pressure at important junctures such as the end of the first session

England v India - 5th Rothesay Test Match: Day Three - Source: Getty

The Dukes ball has behaved strangely throughout the Test series. In the ongoing Test at The Oval, the ball has seamed and swung more towards the end of the first session and the start of the second.

The roller is likely to have an effect at the start of the day's play, and it would be understandable if India started the first session slightly defensively. However, in the second and third hours of play, it would be wise for the fast bowlers to occasionally float one up and check for any lateral movement in the air.

Knowing when to attack and when to defend, depending upon the conditions, will be key to India's fortunes on Day 4 of the fifth Test. They haven't always got it right in the series so far, but the patterns have been slightly more obvious when compared to previous Tests.

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Edited by Sai Krishna