England Back Underfire Root, Bairstow To Keep India Series Alive

England are blocking out all "external noise" to help Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow hit form and keep the series alive against India in Friday's fourth Test in Ranchi.

Joe Root (Image Source: Google)

Put India under pressure

England have won 14 out of 21 Tests since Stokes and McCullum took the reins in 2022.

But since winning the first India Test in Hyderabad, Stokes has now lost back-to-back Tests for only the second time as captain.

Australia won at Edgbaston and Lord's in the Ashes last year, but on that occasion England fought back to draw the series 2-2.

"We'll turn the page and go quids-in again trying to put India under pressure," said a defiant McCullum.

"Hopefully in seven or eight days we'll be talking about how exciting it is to be heading into a decider."

Rohit Sharma's India will rest pace spearhead Bumrah, the only seamer on either side to play in all three Tests so far, as India look to seal the series, but should otherwise have an unchanged side.

Batsman KL Rahul will miss his third straight Test with an injury he picked in the opener. Batting great Virat Kohli has sat out the series and announced the birth of his second child on Tuesday.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, 22, has dominated the series batting with two double centuries and 545 runs. England's Ben Duckett is next best on 288.

Sarfaraz Khan made 62 and 68 not out in an impressive debut and was part of a destructive 172-run stand with Jaiswal in India's second innings.

"When seniors like Virat or Bumrah are not there then everyone wants to make the best of the opportunity," batsman Shubman Gill told reporters.

Jaiswal needs 139 in his next innings to become the fourth-quickest batsman in history to 1,000 Test runs, and the fastest in 75 years.