Bresnan not best choice for second fast bowler slot for fourth Test
Published:Alastair Cook would have liked nothing more than to have captained an unchanged England side for the fourth Test against India, but it seems that there is now a fast bowler slot up for grabs alongside James Anderson.
Stuart Broad is definitely out and his replacement for the third Test, Steven Finn, is now a major doubt with a back injury.
If Finn fails to recover, Tim Bresnan is logically the next in line, but it may make more sense to opt for either Graham Onions or Stuart Meaker.
Bresnan was dropped for Monty Panesar after failing to take a wicket in the first Test and if England are only naming two seamers, someone who is dangerous with the new ball is most important.
Bresnan is more typically a first-change bowler and comes more into his own when able to utilise reverse swing.
Onions is the best of the threesome with new ball in hand, but it is a worry that he struggled for wickets earlier in the tour against Haryana.
South African-born Meaker would be the biggest risk as a start would be a maiden international cap, but he has regularly been among the wickets in India with the England Performance Programme.
The other option would be to pick three spinners by naming James Tredwell, but this seems highly unlikely given the success of the seamers in the last Test.
It is hard to predict based on the betting which seamer will get the nod as Bresnan, Onions and Meaker can all be backed at 5/1 to be England’s top first-innings wicket taker in Nagpur.
England are 2/1 to secure the victory that will provide their first series success on Indian soil since 1985.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
