As England prepares for the decisive fifth and final Test match in Dharamsala, the team has made a strategic alteration to its lineup, signaling a singular change from the squad that faced defeat by five wickets in the fourth Test at Ranchi. The adjustment sees the reintroduction of speedster Mark Wood to the playing XI, highlighting England's intention to leverage pace on the Dharamsala pitch.
This tactical move comes after Wood was sidelined for the previous match, making way for a lineup that ultimately did not secure a win against the host team. His return is poised to bolster England's fast bowling attack, potentially giving them an edge in the upcoming contest. Wood is set to take over from Ollie Robinson, who, despite a commendable performance with the bat in Ranchi, scoring 58 runs in the first innings, was unable to make a significant impact with the ball, failing to take any wickets in the match.
England XI
1. Zak Crawley
2. Ben Duckett
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Jonny Bairstow
6. Ben Stokes (C)
7. Ben Foakes
8. Tom Hartley
9. Mark Wood
10. James Anderson
11. Shoaib Bashir
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