NEW DELHI: With the series already in pocket, a confident Team India will aim to end the five-match series with a win when
Rohit Sharma
's men will face under-the-pump England in the fifth and final Test match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on March 7.
In the absence of key players like premier pacer Mohammed Shami, batting maestro Virat Kohli, and middle-order stalwart Shreyas Iyer, Rohit demonstrated faith in the newcomers by granting Test debuts to Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, and pacer Akash Deep, contributing to India's stylish series win.
During the upcoming fifth and final Test, Rohit will have the chance to surpass former India cricketer
Gautam Gambhir
in the Test runs tally by India batsmen.
Rohit, who has 4034 runs in 58 Tests, requires 120 runs to eclipse Gambhir's tally of 4154 runs in the same number of Tests.
The Indian skipper has an average of 44.82 in his 58-Test career, while the former dynamic left-handed batsman maintained an average of 41.95.
India defeated England by five wickets in the fourth Test to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
India vs England 4th Test: India beat England, secure 17th straight Test series win at home
The series has featured a number of debuts in the absence of seasoned campaigners such as Virat, Shami, and KL Rahul.
It was the first series defeat for captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum since they took charge in 2022 and changed England's fortunes with their attacking philosophy dubbed "Bazball".