England Playing 11 vs India, 3rd Test, 2024

England takes on India in the third Test in Rajkot starting from February 15. The series has been a pulsating one so far with England winning the first Test and India the second.

England’s win in the first Test was given to the way they played the game. They were attacking and in many ways, they “Bazballed” India in the first Test. The Men in Blue countered with a different strategy and the visitors failed to chase 399 in the second test.

They were in the game till the first two sessions on day 4 in Vizag. However, their sudden change in approach called for calamity and they lost the second Test. Heading into the third Test, like team India, England also have selection conundrums.

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Jack Leach is ruled out of the remaining Test matches as he did not recover in time from the knee injury that kept him out from the second Test. An ECB statement said that Leach was sent back home from Abu Dhabi where the England team players went for a break after losing the second Test.

Meanwhile, England are sweating over the availability of Rehan Ahmed who was stopped at the Rajkot airport after he arrived in India last month with a single-entry visa. He was given a temporary visa and has been allowed to practice with his England teammates.

AN ECB official has given a statement saying that they were helped by the local authorities and the issue should be sorted out within a couple of days. Rehan is currently with the team and practicing for the third Test. However, the conundrum regarding his availability for the Rajkot Test remains.

England have four pace bowlers in the team for the Test series. James Anderson was rested in the first Test and he played in the second. In case Rehan misses out from the second Test one among Ollie Robinson, Gus Atkinson or Mark Wood should be selected as the second pacer.

Also Read: Ollie Robinson fires shots at his own English Cricket Board for VISA issues with England players

The batting lineup till number six or seven should not see many changes as the batters almost select themselves for the next Test. In this article, we predict England’s playing XI for the third Test in Rajkot.

England Playing 11 vs India, 3rd Test, 2024

Zak Crawley

Crawley will open the batting for England. He is a very transformed player under the Bazball style of Test cricket. He scored 76 in the second innings in Vizag which was the best batting effort from England in the last game.

Ben Duckett

Duckett will open the batting with Crawley. He is always on the lookout for quick runs, Both Duckett and Crawley added more than 50 runs in both innings of the last Test. The southpaw has maintained a strike rate of over 80 across 17 Test matches.

Ollie Pope

Pope will bat at three. He scored 196 in England’s win in the first Test and 23 each in the two innings of the second test. He is the vice-captain of this Test side as well.

Joe Root

Root is the most experienced batter in this England Test side. He has played 137 Test matches and approaching close to 12000 Test runs. He scored 5 and 16 in the two innings of the second Test. His dismissal in the second innings was criticized very much.

Jonny Bairstow

Bairstow will slot in at five. He scored 25 and 26 in the two innings of the second test. He got starts but could not convert them into big scores something that he will look to do in the third Test.

Ben Stokes (C)

Stokes will play his 100th Test match in Rajkot. He did not bowl in the first two Tests and will not be bowling in the remainder of the series. He has scored 134 runs at an average of 33.50 in the series so far.

Ben Foakes (WK)

Foakes is the first-choice keeper despite the presence of Jonny Bairstow in the squad as well. He did not concede a single bye in the last Test. With the bat, he has scored 80 runs at an average of 20 in the first two Test matches.

James Anderson

Anderson will lead the bowling attack and should bat at eight. He will have a more important job with the ball. He is five shy of 700 Test wickets and six shy of 150 Test wickets against India. He will be the only pacer to 700 wickets if he gets there in Rajkot.

Tom Hartley

Hartley can bat at nine. He has made crucial contributions with the bat with 21 and 36 in the second test. So far in two Test matches, he has picked up 15 wickets, the second-most in the series so far.

Shoaib Bashir

Bashir will be the second spinner in the side with Jack Leach ruled out. He made his Test debut in Vizag and was expensive. He picked up four wickets in his first Test match.

Rehan Ahmed / Ollie Robinson

Rehan’s availability for the third Test depends on whether his visa issues is sorted. He bowled well in the first two games picking up 8 wickets. With the bat, he scored a crucial 23 in England’s 399-run chase. In case Rehan does not play, England should play one between Robinson and Mark Wood.

Also Read: ECB officials release fresh statement on Rehan Ahmed???s availability for Rajkot Test