India vs England 4th T20 Predictions and Match Preview

Just when Indian fans were hoping for a strong comeback by their team - something akin to the one they made in the Test series, England came right back and pulled off another comfortable victory. Now India have to win two in a row to take the series, while England need just the one. A loss for India won’t just mean a humiliating experience at home, but also that they’ll have to wait until after the IPL to try and chase down England’s lead in the ICC T20 rankings. Since the events of the Test series, the rivalry between the two teams has reached a fever pitch, and the results of this series will either be salt or salve on England’s wounds. Before the two blues hit the ground, let’s take a look at how they did in the last match.

India

Predicted XI for 4th T20 vs England

Virat Kohli (c), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma, Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Preview and form

With KL Rahul repeatedly floundering, India might have to look to employ Shikhar Dhawan in his stead. It was a failure of the top order that began India’s troubles. Batting first, they lost 3 in quick succession, and although Virat Kohli’s valiant 77 off 46 gave them a leg to stand on, there just wasn’t enough support for him except for a 25-run cameo by Rishabh Pant. Finishing on a mediocre 156, India’s defense was always going to be an uphill battle. Although they did get an early strike, Only Washington Sundar and Yuzvendra Chahal managed to pick up a wicket each, and the lack of sharpness in the bowling saw them lose the match with 10 deliveries to go. 

India key players for 4th T20 vs England

Virat Kohli: Looking like he’s in top form after a while, Kohli will have to once again lead the seemingly struggling Indian batting.

Shreyas Iyer: Although he hasn’t gotten a proper chance to flex his skills since the first match, Iyer is more than capable of stepping up.

Yuzvendra Chahal: The only bowler to consistently find success this series, Chahal will be important to India’s success.

Washington Sundar: Like Chahal, Sundar has also been effective, and in the last match, he was by far the more economical of the two. 

England

Predicted XI for 4th T20 vs India

Eoin Morgan (c), Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes.

Preview and form

The harrowing task of playing in front of tens of thousands of home fans and absolutely no away support can’t be easy, but it is one England are doing admirably. Early wickets from Mark Wood and Chris Jordan set England up for success, and the duo ended with 5 wickets between them. With a run out thrown into the mix, the visitors were able to limit the hosts to a moderate score. On the chase, Jos Buttler’s massive 83 off 53 formed the lion’s share of the chase, with Jonny Bairstow’s 28-ball-40 took his team the rest of the distance with 8 wickets in hand and 10 balls to spare.

England key players for 4th T20 vs India

Jos Buttler: Given the kind of form Buttler is in, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him find success again.

Eoin Morgan: After a relatively quiet series, the English captain will be keen to replicate the success of his Indian counterpart. 

Mark Wood: The ultra-fast speedster has been a thorn in India’s side. 

Chris Jordan: Expensive but effective, Jordan will have to get rid of as many batsmen as he can.

India vs England 4th T20 pitch report and weather conditions

Certain parts of the pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium are very good for spinners to target, while fast bowlers will also get the kind of bounce normally not associated with Indian pitches. It’s not all about bowlers, though, as batsmen will also enjoy batting on the pitch if they can navigate the movement. The team winning the toss should definitely look to field first. Expect nothing short of 180 in the first innings to be in ‘safe’ territory.

Punishingly hot, the Ahmedabad air will also be brutally dry. On the other hand, there’s no rain or high winds to speak of, so expect the game to run unimpeded. 

Can India come back to square the series and aim for a win? Or will the English manage to seal the deal and turn the 5th match into a dead rubber? Find out if our India versus England predictions come true on Thursday!