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Team India arrived at Old Trafford with the goal of leveling the Test series 2-2, but their struggles with luck—particularly at the toss—continued to haunt them.

In the crucial fourth Test, captain Shubman Gill made three major changes to the playing XI, signaling India’s aggressive intent. However, Manchester again proved to be unlucky for Gill, as India slumped to their 14th consecutive toss defeat.

14th Consecutive Toss Defeat for India

In the ongoing Test series against England, Shubman Gill has not managed to win the toss even once.

This unfortunate streak extended in Manchester, where the coin once again landed in favor of England’s captain, Ben Stokes.

What’s more concerning is that India has now failed to win the toss in 14 consecutive international matches—a trend that predates Gill, continuing from Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav’s tours of England.

Since the beginning of 2025, India holds the unwanted record of losing the toss more than any other team in world cricket. While Shubman Gill has been impressive with the bat in this series, fortune at the toss continues to elude him.

In Manchester, Stokes chose to bowl first after winning the toss yet again, putting India on the back foot before play began.

India, trailing 1-2 in the series, came into the fourth Test with a must-win mindset. To shake things up, the team made three significant changes to the lineup.

Akash Deep, who is nursing a fitness concern, was replaced by 24-year-old Anshul Kamboj, who received his maiden Test cap. Kamboj has delivered standout performances in domestic cricket and was rewarded for his consistency.

Meanwhile, Karun Nair, who failed to score a half-century in six innings, was dropped. Sai Sudharsan, who had earlier played the Headingley Test but struggled with the bat, was brought back into the XI. With Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled out for the remainder of the series, all-rounder Shardul Thakur returned to the side to strengthen the balance.