India is highly likely to add one more batsman, Karun Nair in the India Playing XI for the must-win final IND vs ENG Test and is likely to drop the pace all-rounder Shardul Thakur from the last game’s XI.

In the pace attack, there will be two changes as Jasprit Bumrah and Anshul Kamboj will be replaced by Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna with Mohammed Siraj leading the attack. Dhruv Jurel has been named as Rishabh Pant’s replacement after the wicket-keeper was ruled out of the IND vs ENG 5th test match series due to fracture of the foot.

As India changes to the Oval in the final Test at The Oval, both the bowlers Kuldeep Yadav and Arshdeep Singh are set to go through the tour without playing a single game.

The Bumrah temptation

India had the option of playing Bumrah in the Playing XI Oval but instead, they backed a young pace unit led by Mohammed Siraj. Bumrah has not played a single game of the series so far, and after India’s defeat in the first Test, Gautam Gambhir was asked if they will be giving Bumrah a fourth Test instead of three – in case the series is still on in a post-match presentation.

As Bumrah is ruled out of the game, Siraj will once again get the chance to lead India’s pace attack on India tour of England 2025. In the first game at Birmingham, the 27-year-old not only performed for India in Bumrah’s absence, but he also led the young Akash Deep, who went on to grab six-wickets in the second innings and a match total of ten wickets to help India register their solitary win in the series so far.

The inclusion of Karun Nair India’s XI is one of the more surprising picks. With Nair and Sai Sudharsan likely to be in the starting line-up, the No. 3 spot in the batting line-up will be one to watch. Both the batsmen were in the squad for the first game of the series, but the Tamil Nadu left-hander was given the nod ahead of Nair for that No. 3 slot.