England vs India, ENG vs IND, Today Match Prediction 23 July 2025

ENG vs IND Match Prediction & Analysis

India face England in the fourth Test of the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy at Old Trafford in Manchester, starting Wednesday. After pulling off a 22-run win in the third Test, England lead the five-match series 2-1. They head into this one with momentum on their side and a chance to wrap up the series at home. India have shown before they’re capable of pulling off results in these conditions and won’t back down easily this time either.

TEAMS PREVIEW

England Preview

England lead the series 2-1 after wins at Headingley and Lord’s, where they came through a tense finish to win by 22 runs in the last Test. Only one change has been made from that match, with Shoaib Bashir ruled out due to a broken finger. Spinner Liam Dawson steps in, returning to the Test team for the first time in eight years. Jofra Archer, who picked up five wickets in his first red-ball game since returning from injury, keeps his spot after impressing on his comeback.

England’s strength has been their batting, and the main players have stepped up. Jamie Smith has been the absolute star, scoring 415 runs across six innings down the order with an average of 104. His runs down the order have rescued England from serious trouble more than once.

Harry Brook has performed well in the middle order, collecting 314 runs at 52.33. Along with Joe Root, he forms the core of the lineup, and their form will have a big say in how this match goes.

The batting unit looks steady overall, with Ben Duckett adding quick runs at the top. His partner Zak Crawley, though, has had a tough time and needs to find form quickly.

With the ball, star all-rounder Ben Stokes has made an impact once again, taking 11 wickets and breaking through at important moments. Brydon Carse has held up his end too, and with Jofra Archer bowling with real pace, this attack has real bite in these conditions.

England Predicted Playing XI:

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Liam Dawson, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer

India Preview

India will be hurting after falling short by 22 runs in the third Test. They had the upper hand for most of the match but fell apart on the final day and let it slip. That loss will sting, and how they respond now is the big question.

Things have gone further downhill with injuries ahead of this game. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Akash Deep have both been ruled out. Anshul Kamboj replaces Akash Deep, while Shardul Thakur takes the spot of Nitish Kumar Reddy.

India will start with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul at the top again. They’ve handled the new ball well so far. Rahul has been especially dependable, putting together 414 runs in seven innings at an average of 69.

Captain Shubman Gill is having an outstanding series. He has piled up 607 runs in six innings with an average of 101.6. If India are to turn things around, Gill and KL Rahul will need to step up again.

In the middle and lower order, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja have provided valuable runs, often in tricky situations, and will be relied upon again.

With Akash Deep unavailable, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will have to take on the bulk of the bowling. Bumrah is coming off a six-wicket haul at Lord’s, and Siraj has kept pushing hard through the series. Beyond them, though, the bowling looks light and could be tested by England’s lineup.

India Predicted Playing XI:

Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Anshul Kamboj, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Weather Conditions

Manchester usually offers some of the quicker surfaces in England. Batters who handle extra pace can find good value for their shots, while bowlers often use the bounce and carry as motivation to put in extra effort, even with a softer Dukes ball.

There could be a slight interruption early on, as rain is expected across the first two days.

ENG vs IND Pitch Report

In the last 10 Test matches played in Manchester, teams batting first have averaged 333 runs. Over the last 17 matches at this ground, the average total in the fourth innings has been just 168 runs. So, the team batting last here might find things tough. The side batting first will aim for a total in the 350 to 400 range to give themselves a solid chance.

Toss: To Bowl

Teams usually prefer bowling first in Manchester to exploit the seaming conditions on the first day and get the opposition out for a low score.