England Make Spin Sacrifice With One Change In Playing XI For 3rd Test Against India

England Cricket Board (ECB) on Wednesday named the playing eleven for the third Test match against India in Rajkot, as pacer Mark Wood replaced Shoaib Bashir in the playing squad. "The Three Lions have made one change with Mark Wood replacing Shoaib Bashir," the statement from ECB said. Skipper Ben Stokes will play his 100th Test match for England at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. "Captain Ben Stokes is set to make his 100th Test appearance in Rajkot," it added. 

The series is currently level 1-1. After a 28-run loss in the first Hyderabad Test, India won the second Test at Visakhapatnam by 106 runs.

Recapping the second Test match, brilliant bowling spells from Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin helped India overcome a fighting England as they levelled the five-match series 1-1.

One change to our XI for the third Test in Rajkot

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England started the second session of day four at 194/6, with skipper Stokes joined by wicketkeeper-batter Ben Foakes.

A boundary by Foakes to Bumrah helped England reach the 200-run mark in 46.1 overs.

But disaster struck for England before they could have a big partnership. Some lazy running between the wickets got skipper Stokes out for just 11 runs. Shreyas Iyer's remarkable effort saw him assist India in removing England's crisis man, reducing them to 220/7.

Bumrah got the final wicket, cleaning up Hartley for 36. England were bundled out for 292 and lost by 106 runs.

The third Test will commence on February 15 in Rajkot while the fourth Test kickstarts in Ranchi on February 23 The fifth and final Test of the series will be played in Dharamsala from March 7.

England's Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes