Sanjay Bangar picks his Indian XI for ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test, wants Shardul Thakur to bat at No. 7

Former Indian all-rounder Sanjay Bangar has picked India’s playing XI for the fourth Test match. Bangar wants all-rounder Shardul Thakur to bat at number seven after Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out with a knee injury while training in the gym.

Bangar wants India to give one more chance to Karun Nair at number three. Nair has aggregated 131 runs in three Test matches and Bangar wants the batter to grab his chance with both hands.

“KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal will open. Both have done a very good job. Karun Nair will have to score runs in this match because he is being given an extra chance, and he will have to make the most of it. Then Shubman Gill at No. 4, Rishabh Pant at No. 5 and Ravindra Jadeja at No. 6,” Sanjay Bangar said on Star Sports show Follow the Blues.

“Shardul Thakur at No. 7 because his seam bowling can be useful. Washington Sundar performed quite well in the last match and has scored valuable runs as well. If he is at No. 8, the batting looks in good condition,” Bangar observed.

Bangar backed Prasidh Krishna to play ahead of rookie pacer Anshul Kamboj. Krishna had looked toothless in the first two Test matches and he was also expensive.

“Then Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. There will be a toss-up between Prasidh Krishna and Anshul Kamboj, but I feel you will have to show a little confidence in Prasidh Krishna, as the team has shown in Karun Nair,” he elaborated.

The former Indian batting coach said he doesn’t see Sai Sudharsan replacing Nitish Kumar Reddy in the final XI.

“I don’t see that happening because, based on what we have heard about this team management’s preference, they want depth. I feel Ravindra Jadeja will bat at No. 6 at this moment because he has scored four consecutive half-centuries in the last two Test matches. So why unnecessarily bring a batter?” he said.

Sanjay Bangar’s playing XI for India in fourth Test: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

The fourth Test match between England and India will be played at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, from July 23 onwards.