IND vs ENG, 5th Test 2024: 3 changes England should make to get back to winning ways

India were cruising in their chase of 192 and had the game in the bag at 84 for no loss, but England never really went away. The spinners combined to pick up five wickets on either side of lunch to send jitters in the Indian camp.

It then took a calculated and measured performance by Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel to dispel the nerves and take India to a win by five wickets.

With this win, India sealed the series and England tasted the first series defeat under the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum combination. 

Here we take a look at 3 possible changes England might have to make for the 5th Test in Dharamsala: 

3. Jonny Bairstow's struggles

Jonny Bairstow has not quite come to terms with the spinning ball and has tried all the different methods. He was quite expansive in Ranchi in the first innings but then fell to one of the most questionable strokes in the second.

 England could look at this position as one of the possible changes, and they could bring in Dan Lawrence as another genuine batter in the middle order. Lawrence was quite good in the last India series and can be a good addition to the side in Dharamsala.

2. More penetration power with pacer

Ollie Robinson playing the first match of the series was consistently bowling in the mid-120s and never really looked threatening with the new ball. He did not have the pace to make the old ball count and if Dharamsala has a similar surface to offer, England would be tempted to bring in Mark Wood. 

They also have to factor in the James Anderson factor. The 41-year-old has been the standout pacer for the side, but he is not getting younger and hence, England could look to rest him and continue with Robinson and get in Wood as the second pacer. Wood can provide pace and Robinson the control that would allow Stokes to be more attacking with his spinners. 

1. Wrist spin

Even though Shoaib Bashir starred with the ball in the first innings with a five-wicket haul, and Tom Hartley gave Stokes good control, England would be tempted to bring in a wrist spinner. Kuldeep Yadav showed the importance of variation in Ranchi and the wrist-spinner can be used as an attacking option by Stokes.

Rehan and Hartley are no slouches with the bat and England could be tempted to play with five regular bowlers in Dharamsala. They can play all their three spinners in Hartley, Bashir and Ahmed and the two seamers amongst Anderson, Robinson and Wood. But the unfortunate news for the visitors is that their only wrist spinner that travelled with the squad is back home due to personal reasons with England not naming a replacement. 

If Ben Stokes does start bowling, it will open up plenty of new avenues for England to end the series with a win.