While bairstow

World Test Championship: Left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal has been handed his debut cap as England won the toss and elected to bat first against India in the fifth and final Test of the series at the HPCA Stadium on Thursday.

India have already taken unassailable 3-1 lead, but with 12 World Test Championship points still up for grabs, they would be aiming to win at Dharamshala and make the scoreline 4-1. The fifth Test is a milestone game for Ravichandran Ashwin and Jonny Bairstow, with the India off-spinner and England wicketkeeper-batter set to play their 100th Test match, respectively.

While Bairstow is the 17th men’s player from England to grab his 100th Test cap, Ashwin becomes the 14th player from India to complete 100 Test match appearances. England have opted to bring in Mark Wood in place of Ollie Robinson, who hasn’t travelled to the ground due to a stomach bug.