England vs India 2021: I Do Think India Needs 300-Plus To Defend Here - Michael Atherton

Former England player Michael Atherton believes the Oval pitch is quite flat and will help the batsmen throughout and therefore, any target under 300 would make India uncomfortable. So far, the track for the fourth Test has progressively become better for batting.

India has a lead of 171 runs going into the fourth day’s play. They still have seven wickets in hand, with skipper Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease. Although Atherton believes the visitors are ahead in the game, he feels England is not out of the game yet.

“India have their noses in front, there is no doubt about. But I do think they will need a decent score to defend. The pitch is pretty good and it’s more like a Day 3 pitch.“

“We have not got the wear and tear that you would normally expect from a Day 4 pitch because of the lack of sunshine. It’s been cloudy and overcast,” he said.

The track has offered some amount of turn and variable bounce but India doesn’t have Ravichandran Ashwin to exploit it. Even Mohammad Shami, who is generally better in the second innings, is out with a niggle.

“India’s attack doesn’t obviously have Ashwin and it looks a less threatening seam attack in the absence of Shami. I do think India needs 300-plus to defend here. The conditions will still be good today and also tomorrow,” Atherton added.

“England will feel they have got a chance” – Michael Atherton

Team India has a tendency to collapse in foreign conditions. They’ve crumbled under pressure at least twice in the series already, so England is never out of the game if they get India below a 300-run lead.

“I think the combination of the conditions and the way that India’s attack shapes up, they are not going to be comfortable in their mind unless they get 300 or 350. That lead now is 171, which is still away from 300. So England will feel they have got a chance,” he concluded.

In the latest developments, India’s lead had reached close to 200 but Jadeja was sent back by Chris Woakes.

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