England captain Joe Root on Wednesday said that the pitch for the fourth or the last Test shares similarities with the third Test. The three lions were thrown out of the game in the third Test but they have learnt lessons and are looking forward to accept challenges.
“It’s (the pitch) looking very similar…I think the most important thing is that we learn all the lessons from the last two two test matches and make sure we’re back for it,” Root said when asked about the raging debate over the pitch in the last Test and how this one was looking.
“It’s important that if we get ourselves in a similar position in the first innings, we really make that count. And try and get some scoreboard pressure in the game, you know, early on,” he said at the virtual press conference, on the eve of the game in Ahmedabad.
Root commented that the English batsmen will look forward to knit some solid partnerships.
“I think that as batters if you don’t score runs, you will always look at yourselves, you’ll always try and find ways to improve and we’ve certainly done that,” Root said.
“We’ve looked at a couple of dismissals and how we’re going to find ways of building big partnerships and getting some significant scores on it if it is a similar surface this time around,” he added.
The English skipper also clarified that they have not finalised the final 11 or 12 but Dom Bess might be making it to the final selection.
“No, not at this stage and we’re gonna have another day to see what that wicket finally looks like, ahead of things and we’ll get a team at the toss,” the England skipper informed.
“He (Dom Bess) is certainly up for selection. He has been training really well. He’s got a very good character and if he gets a chance to play I’m sure he’ll be desperate to try and exploit the surface if it’s anything like the last two games,” he added.
The fourth Tests starts on Thursday. India need to win the match to play the World Test Championship final at Lord’s. England are off the race already. But England manage to make the series a draw, Australia will face New Zealand in the final.
