India Vs England, 5th Test: Here's Probable India XI for Oval Test

London, Sep 5: With the series already lost by a margin of 1-3, Team India would be looking to play for pride and win the fifth Test match against England to end the series on a positive note.

India will be facing England at Kennington Oval in the fifth and final Test after losing the fourth Test by 60 runs on Sunday (September 2). Batting has been a concern for the Indians on this tour and skipper Virat Kohli must be hoping that the batsmen perform well to take some positives from what has been a rather disappointing tour.

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Openers Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul have emerged as the biggest disappointments as they failed to provide a decent start. Almost in every game, he's played, Dhawan failed to convert the good start into a big total.

Rahul's performance on this tour was no less than a nightmare. The right-handed from Karnataka has scored 171 runs from 8 innings and averaged 13 in the series.

Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane contributed well with the bat in the fourth Test but their combined effort alone couldn't help India's sinking ship as rest of the batsmen failed to raise the level of their game.

In the third Test, Kohli and his boys outclassed the English in every department in Nottingham Test and won the game by 203 runs after going 2-nil down. The tourists lost the first Test in Edgbaston by 31 runs and suffered a humiliating innings defeat at Lord's. Having been pushed to the wall, the Indians came back strongly to reduce the deficit to 1-2. But unfortunately, the Indians let the advantage slip away from their hands and lost the fourth game to set up a series decider at Oval.

With the series already lost, the visitors could now make changes in the playing XI and hand over the debut cap to young Prithvi Shaw, who was inducted in the squad for Murali Vijay.

Here is the probable India XI for the fifth Test:

1. Shikhar Dhawan

After Murali Vijay's consistently poor show, Shikhar Dhawan was given a go-ahead for the third Test. The left-handed batsman from Delhi didn't let the team management down as he may not have played a memorable knock in both innings but Dhawan gave India a good start in both the innings.

However, in the fourth Test Dhawan once again failed to capitalise upon the good start, as a result, India failed to score big in both the innings. The team would hope an improved show from the southpaw so that they win their second game in the series.

2. Prithvi Shaw

Reports claim that opener KL Rahul, who has had a terrible series, might make way for young Prithvi Shaw to open the innings for India in the final Test.

As the series is already lost, the team management would give young Shaw a chance. Shaw has been doing exceptionally well in the domestic circuit and the 20-year-old is already being hailed as the next Sachin Tendulkar.

In 14 first-class, 19 List A, and 9 T20 games, Shaw has already shown his potential. In his 26 innings, Shaw has slammed seven centuries.

3. Cheteshwar Pujara

The Saurashtra batsman slammed his career's 15th Test century and first on English soil in the fourth Test and it was his gritty innings that ensured India take a slender 27 run lead in the first innings.

However, the right-handed batsman failed to perform in the fourth innings and it was his departure early on, which cost India the game. India would hope for another gritty effort from the Rajkot batsman.

4. Virat Kohli

The India captain scored 46 and 58 in the fourth Test, but his failure to convert the start into a bigger knock would have ensured India's win.

After a blip in the second test at Lord's in which he could only amass 40 runs, the right-handed batsman from Delhi scored 97 and 103 in the third Test. Kohli's resilient knocks in both the innings ensured India score big against England win the game.

All eyes once again will be on the right-handed batsman from Delhi who has retained his top spot in the Tests rankings for his efforts in the fourth Test.

Kohli has scored 500-plus runs in the four Tests so the fans would be hoping for another big knock for the visitors.

5. Ajinkya Rahane

One of the biggest positives for India from the third Test match was Ajinkya Rahane's coming back to his form. The vice-captain played a brilliant 82-run knock at Nottingham.

However, the Mumbaikar once again failed to perform in the first innings at Rose Bowl and later in the second innings, he played a patient knock of 51. But those 51 runs weren't enough to help India remain in the contest. Rahane's dismissal was the final nail in India's coffin after Kohli was dismissed for 58.

6. KL Rahul/Hanuma Vihari/Karun Nair

One of the biggest reasons for India's poor show with the bat in the series was their decision to play with 5 batsmen, which isn't bearing the fruits.

Since India have nothing to lose in this game as the series is already lost, the team management could very well opt to go with an extra batsman.

In such a scenario, the team might go with Karun Nair or push KL Rahul down in the batting order. Hanuma Vihari, who has also got his maiden India call-up for the fourth and fifth Test might also get lucky if the team management shows its interest in him.

7. Rishabh Pant

The young wicket-keeper had a chance to prove his worth as a batsman but Pant failed to encash the occasion in both the innings. In the first innings. he was dismissed for a duck after playing 29 deliveries to claim an unwanted record to his name.

Pant threw his wicket away in the second innings and left his team in the lurch for playing an ambitious stroke. Such a stroke wasn't needed from Pant as India were already staring at a big defeat. But he will once again play for India in the fifth Test.

8. Ravindra Jadeja

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is likely to miss the fifth Test and Ravindra Jadeja might replace the Tamil Nadu spinner in the playing XI at Kennington Oval. Ashwin sustained another injury in the fourth Test and is facing a race against time to get fit before Friday.

In Ashwin's absence, Jadeja might get a place in the team as a specialist spinner.

The all-rounder hasn't performed up to the expectations in the entire series but captain Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri's faith in the fast-bowling all-rounder might be rested in the fifth Test. Pandya disappointed with the bat in the fourth Test and his bowling was also not up to the mark in the game and hence skipper Kohli didn't ask him to bowl much.

9. Ishant Sharma

The Delhi speedster was the pick of the Indian bowlers in the second innings as he returned with a fifer (5/51) in Edgbaston Test. Ishant too spent a lot of time playing county cricket and his experience paid off.

He picked up four wickets in the fourth Test match and would lend a helping hand to the rest of the bowlers again. If there will be grass on the pitch then Ishant might even be asked to start the proceedings with the new ball.

10. Mohammed Shami

The Bengal pacer was in good form in the previous Test as he picked up 6 wickets in the fourth Test. The Bengal pacer was struggling with his form in England initially but it seems he has finally regained his form.

He's working his magic with the old ball now. He would be leading India's pace battery in the fifth Test match as well.

11. Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah was another big positives for India in the third Test as he grabbed another five-wicket-haul in that game. In the fourth Test match too, the youngster rattled England's top-order and ensured England were bundled out for 246 in the first innings.

Bumrah has picked up 25 wickets in the last five Test matches and proved why he's such an important asset.