IND vs ENG, Fourth Test: Old Trafford Pitch report, India's record and highest-run scorer
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The fourth Test of the five-match series between England and India is set to start on Wednesday, July 23, at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester. The 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is currently lying in the hands of England as they clinched the first and third Test at Headingley and Lord’s. The fourth Test is a do-or-die encounter for the Indian side, who are looking to make it 2-2. In the past, India haven’t had great success at Old Trafford stadium.
ENG vs IND: How does the wicket at Old Trafford behave?
Old Trafford in Manchester is one of the oldest and iconic cricket venues in England. The pitch remains dry and hard at Old Trafford. It offers movement off the surface, coupled with consistent bounce for the first three days.
However, as the match progresses, the spinners will come into the game and dictate terms.
Much like the Lord’s, the new ball will be hard to face, but once the ball softens and starts to get old, the batting becomes comparatively easier. The average first innings score at the iconic cricket ground in Manchester is 332, which highlights the importance of winning the toss and batting first. Whereas the average scores of the third and fourth innings are 225 and 168, respectively, which makes it tough to bat later.
Team India's historical performance at the Old Trafford Ground
The Indian Cricket Team’s Test record at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester has been very poor, to say the least. The subcontinent side have not won a single Test match out of the nine matches played at the venue since 1936. Team India have endured five draws and four defeats at this ground, which tells us about their performance at this very ground.
In 1952, the Indian Cricket Team recorded the lowest-ever score of 58 at this very ground and the entire team collapsed without making an impact. Some iconic knocks has been played at this ground by Indian batters such as 119* by Sachin Tendulkar in 1990, 179 by Mohammed Azharuddin in 1990, 129* by Sandeep Patil in 1982, 118 by Polly Umrigar in 1959, and 114 by Vijay Merchant in 1936.
India's biggest challenge in the fourth Test against England is dealing with England’s strong batting line-up, which includes Joe Root, who has scored 978 runs at Old Trafford Cricket Ground. India’s best bet with the ball, Jasprit Bumrah will be vital to their fortunes. In the current Test series, Bumrah has a bowling average of 21 and has taken 12 wickets in two matches he has been a part of.
As per the conditions at Old Trafford in Manchester, the Indian Cricket Team should win the toss and look to bat first in the do-or-die match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, which is currently in favour of the hosts. The explosiveness of Yashasvi Jaiswal and the temperament of KL Rahul will be critical in providing India a good start with the bat. In the middle order, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant would have to rise for the team and play more iconic knocks for the side. With the ball, the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj would be crucial with the new ball in providing early blows to the English batting lineup.
This match could be a historic one for India in Manchester. If they win, it would break an 89-year-long streak of not winning a Test at Old Trafford in the India vs England series. It will also equal the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, forcing both teams to battle it out for the trophy in the fifth Test match at The Oval.
