IND vs ENG 5th Test: Prithvi Shaw unlikely to play, Jadeja set to make comeback - 5 things to look forward to on Day 1

The pitch and weather, as one would expect, have had a major impact right through the series. Whether it was the overcast conditions at Lord's on the opening day of the match, or the turning wicket on Day 4 at Southampton, India have received the short end of the stick in terms of the pitch and weather conditions. Will that change at The Oval?

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Four Tosses, four losses. That's been the story for Virat Kohli in this series. After he made the wrong call yet again in Southampton, the Indian captain exchanged a wry smile with his English counterpart Joe Root. The importance of the Toss cannot be overstated in Test cricket. Batting or bowling in the most productive conditions goes a long way in determining the outcome of the match. Had India batted second at Lord's or first at the Rose Bowl, the results of those matches could well have been different. Kohli would be hoping he doesn't suffer a Toss whitewash on Friday.

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The biggest talking point heading into the first day of the fifth Test has to be what team combination the visitors will go in with. Indications from India's net session on Wednesday suggest that there are going to be a few changes in India's playing XI. Prithvi Shaw, who has been in the news ever since he was drafted into the squad after the third Test, might not make his debut as he got to bat much later in the Indian nets. Hanuma Vihari, on the other hand, was seen batting alongside Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. The middle-order batsmen could replace the out-of-form Hardik Pandya. Ravindra Jadeja looks set to make a comeback into the team at the expense of the injured Ravichandran Ashwin.

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Alastair Cook will take the field for the final time in the English whites. The left-handed opener, England's highest run-scorer in the longest format of the game, will be the cynosure of all eyes as far as the hosts are concerned. It'll be interesting to see how both teams give Cook a guard of honour as he bids adieu to the game.

(Image: Reuters)

Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane admitted in the pre-match presser that it's the batsmen in the Indian team who have let their bowlers down in this series. Time and time again, the visiting batters have failed as a collective unit. Some more runs by them and the dynamics of this series would have been a whole lot different at this point. Another collapse on the opening day of the fifth Test could well confirm a 4-1 scoreline in England's favour.

(Image: PTI)