The fourth match in the ongoing ENG vs. IND 2021 series is crucial for both sides in order to clinch the bilateral Test series. England and India have won one match apiece in the series. Both teams are eager to win the fourth Test, and the match has been a slugfest thus far. India set a challenging task for England after some strong efforts by the Indian batsmen in the third innings. The game is now nicely balanced thanks to an unbeaten partnership between the English openers. Let's anticipate what could happen in the fourth match of the Test series.

4th Test of ENG vs. IND 2021 Series: Probable Outcomes

England Win

England are in a strong position, needing only 291 runs to win the match with 10 wickets remaining. English openers Rory Burns (31*) and Haseeb Hameed (43*) finished the day-4 with an unbeaten 77* run stand. They batted for 32 overs on the fourth day and had a little problem negotiating with the Indian bowlers.

England's main goal on day 5 will be to finish the opening session without losing any wickets. They will undoubtedly be the hot favorites to win the fourth Test of the ENG vs. IND 2021 series if they can score more than 100 runs in the opening session while keeping as many wickets as possible.

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Captain Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, and Chris Woakes will be key in the chase for England. Their performances with the bat may decide the game.

India Win 

India are still very much in it despite England's strong position in the game. Indian bowlers have a huge task ahead of them in the opening session of Day 5. They need to take two or three quick wickets in the opening session to put pressure on the English batsmen. 

England will be under so much pressure if India can take a few wickets in the opening session. England will play for a draw if the hosts lose wickets in the first two sessions. Therefore, it is crucial for Team India to take wickets at regular intervals.

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However, we often witness innings fall apart in a session and a match takes a dramatic U-turn. So, we can't rule out such a scenario, particularly in the second or third session. If this occurs, the Indian campaign will certainly be ecstatic.

Draw 

If England continue to lose wickets in the opening session, they may have to slow down to save the match. The Indian bowlers will then go all out to upset England. In such a situation, we may see English batters battling it out in the middle to carry the Test match tied.

However, we must consider the fact that drawing a Test match is tough due to the nature of the pitches in England. The bowlers will have a clear advantage on day-5 in swinging the ball. The surface would definitely favor Indian bowlers if they could maintain good line and length. England batsmen must work hard to survive on the pitch.

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Scorecard

India (1st Innings): 191 (Virat Kohli 50, Shardul Thakur 57; Chris Woakes 4/55, Ollie Robinson 3/38) 

England (1st Innings):290 (Ollie Pope 81, Chris Woakes 50; Umesh Yadav 3/76, Ravindra Jadeja 2/36)

India (2nd Innings):466 (Rohit Sharma 127, Cheteshwar Pujara61; Chris Woakes 3/83, Ollie Robinson 2/105) 

England's Target 

England (2nd Innings): 77/0 (Rory Burns 31*, Haseeb Hameed 43*) 

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Verdict

The fourth match of the ENG vs. IND 2021 Test series is now equally balanced because of the outstanding performances by the players from both teams. India's campaign was confident after amassing a big total in the third innings. England, on the other hand, bounced back well in the third session of day four, and they will go into day five with a lot of confidence. The winner of the match will be ranked first in the ICC Test Championship points standings. We can expect a fascinating contest on the fifth day of the fourth Test.