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Rediff.com  » Cricket » Should Gambhir replace Dhawan for fourth Test? Select your team

Should Gambhir replace Dhawan for fourth Test? Select your team

Last updated on: August 05, 2014 17:09 IST
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India face a selection dilemma going into the fourth Test against England, starting in Manchester on Thursday, over team combination following the heavy defeat in the third match at Southampton.

The question is whether to play five bowlers, something that worked for them in winning the second Test at Lord's, or continue with the six-batsmen strategy, which backfired in Southampton.

Former skipper Sourav Ganguly has urged the team management to include fast bowler Varun Aaron and take advantage of the fast pitch at Old Trafford. They could well consider the suggestion seeing how Ishant's extra pace and bounce caused England problems at Lord's.

- Analysis: Pujara, Kohli's poor batting hurting India most

With Ishant Sharma, who missed the 266-run thrashing India suffered in the third Test because of an injury, ruled out of the Manchester match too, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar nursing a sore ankle following a heavy workload, the team management must surely be considering some chances in the bowling attack too.

Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni may be forced to replace the out-of-form Shikhar Dhawan, who has scored just 122 runs in six innings, with the experienced Gautam Gambhir at the top of the order.

The lack of runs from Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli could force the team to include the extra batsman or bring in an all-rounder.

Rohit Sharma's twin failures in the third Test could see him make way for either spin all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin or all-rounder Stuart Binny.

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja was preferred over Ashwin in the first three matches, but his mediocre showing (eight wickets at a strike rate of 106.8) may open the door for the 27-year-old off-spinner.

Do you think India should drop Dhawan and bring in Gambhir?

Also, should Rohit Sharma get another chance or should he make way for Ashwin?

Be the selector, pick your team for the fourth Test.

Select your team:

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