The fifth Test between England and India in Manchester was postponed last year due to the growing number of COVID-19 positive cases in the Indian campaign. The respective cricket boards of the two nations agreed to organize the match during India’s white-ball teams' visit to England in July 2022. Therefore, the ENG vs IND 2022 fifth Test match will be played before the limited-overs series and will start on July 1. The Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham will host the contest. The match preview of the final Test of England versus India series is discussed in this article.

England vs India Test Series 2021: Fifth Test Match Preview

By taking a 2-1 lead, India have the edge over England in this series. England, on the other hand, must win this game in order to tie the series 2-2. Had the fifth match been contested a couple of months ago, India would have been favourite to clinch it.

However, a lot has changed since Ben Stokes became the captain of the English Test side. Stokes-led England thumped New Zealand 3-0 at home. They seem more confident and aggressive-minded than they were under Joe Root’s captaincy. Besides, England’s record over India at Edgbaston is completely one-sided. They have never lost a Test match against India at this ground.

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England vs India Test record at the Edgbaston in Birmingham

  Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/

India

India’s biggest concern at the moment is captain Rohit Sharma’s availability for the fifth match. Rohit was tested positive for COVID-19 last week, but the Indian campaign will wait for his availability until the last moment. If Rohit misses the match, then either Hanuma Vihari or Shubman Gill will fill his spot in the playing XI.

Another hot topic is who will lead Team India in Rohit's absence. There is a possibility that Jasprit Bumrah may captain this Indian Test side or Rishabh Pant could be picked as the skipper for the contest. The possibility of Virat Kohli being able to captain the team for this one match can’t be ruled out either.

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Top-Order: Rohit Sharma (captain)/Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara;

Middle-Order: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur;

Lower-Order: Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

England

The English campaign is in a jovial mood at the moment after their recent success against New Zealand. The team spirit is really high under the leadership of Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. England will likely deploy four pacers to make things difficult for the Indian batting line-up. In batting, Bairstow is in red-hot form and he can be devastating when needed.

Top-Order: Alex Lees, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope;

Middle-Order: Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (captain), Ben Foakes (wicket-keeper), Matthew Potts;

Lower-Order: Jack Leach, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

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Top three run-scorers in the ENG vs IND Test Series 2021 (at the end of 4th Test)

   Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/

Top three wicket-takers in the 2021 ENG vs IND Test Series (at the end of 4th Test)

   Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/

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Weather Forecast and Pitch Report 

As per the weather report in Birmingham, there will be a mixture of sunshine and heavy showers in the next five days. The match could be interrupted briefly if rain remains persistent during the contest. Like the other venues in England, the Edgbaston pitch in Birmingham will likely favour the quicker bowlers, especially on day 1.

The average first innings score in the Test format at this venue is 308. Besides, both campaigns also have to consider the weather conditions before making their decision. However, opting to field first should be an ideal choice for a toss-winning captain.

Aftermath

There is no shortage of talent in the English campaign, but it’s bizarre how England made a brilliant comeback in the home series against New Zealand after losing a Test series against West Indies. England whitewashed New Zealand (3-0) in their recent series, and now they can consider themselves favourites to beat India in the fifth match.

India, on the other hand, is struggling to select their preferred playing XI. Captain Rohit Sharma is still uncertain for the ENG vs IND 2022 fifth Test match. However, this is expected to be an eye-catching contest as both sides consist of some of the best cricketers in the world.

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