The stage is set at Old Trafford, Manchester, for what promises to be a pivotal clash in the ongoing England vs India Test series. Trailing 2-1 after a heartbreaking defeat in the third Test at Lord’s, India now face a do-or-die situation in the fourth Test, starting July 23, 2025. For England, a win here will ensure they seal the series with a game to spare.

Despite being behind in the series, India have arguably dominated more sessions across the three Tests. Whether it was their strong batting performance in Headingley or moments of ascendancy at Lord’s, India have often found themselves in control, only to lose grip during crucial phases. The Shubman Gill-led side will need to fix this trend and make the most of key moments, especially in challenging English conditions where momentum can shift rapidly.

Led by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s aggressive approach, England have stayed true to their ‘Bazball’ philosophy — showing resilience and seizing windows of opportunity. Their bowling attack, combined with timely contributions from the middle order, has pushed India onto the back foot at decisive stages. A victory in Manchester will give them an unassailable 3-1 lead and another memorable home series win over India.

ENG vs IND 4th Test: Match Details

• Date and Time: Jul 23-Jul 27, 3:30 PM IST / 10:00 AM GMT / 11:00 AM LOCAL
• Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester

Old Trafford Pitch Report:

As India and England gear up for the crucial fourth Test at Old Trafford, the first look at the pitch suggests a potential paradise for fast bowlers. The surface appears to be a classic green top, hinting at plenty of lateral movement and seam throughout the early stages of the match.

The outfield remains damp due to persistent rainfall in Manchester over the past few days, which could further aid swing bowling, especially under the typically overcast skies. These are conditions tailor-made for seamers to exploit, with early morning sessions likely to be especially challenging for batters.

Fast bowlers will look to make early inroads, and batting could be extremely difficult in the first two sessions, especially for top-order players. Captains winning the toss might lean towards bowling first to exploit the freshness of the surface and the conditions overhead.

ENG vs IND Dream11 Prediction Picks:

• Wicketkeeper: Rishabh Pant
• Batters: Joe Root, Shubman Gill, Harry Brook, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul
• All-rounders: Ben Stokes, Ravindra Jadeja
• Bowlers: Jofra Archer, Mohammed Siraj, Brydon Carse

ENG vs IND Dream11 Prediction Captain and Vice Captain:

Choice 1: Shubman Gill (c), Jamie Smith (vc)
Choice 2: Harry Brook (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal (vc)

Also READ: ENG vs IND: Harbhajan Singh predicts India’s probable playing XI for Manchester Test

ENG vs IND Dream11 Prediction Backups:

Jamie Smith, Ollie Pope, Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar

ENG vs IND Dream11 team for today’s match (July 23-27, 10:00 am GMT):

Squads:

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Liam Dawson, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Anshul Kamboj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel

Also READ: England vs India 2025: Test Stats and Records at the Old Trafford, Manchester