England vs India third Test: All you need to know

The Cricketer provides you with all the knowledge you need ahead of the third Test match between England and India which starts tomorrow

^{India captain Virat Kohli knows that his side must bounce back and avoid defeat in Nottingham}

What is it?

The Third Test match in the Specsavers Test series between England and India, which follows a three-game Twenty20 series and a three-game One-Day International series between the two sides.

Where is it taking place?

Trent Bridge in Nottingham, beginning at 11am on Saturday, the first such time an England Test match has started on a Saturday since 1955. Trent Bridge has become quite the daunting venue for touring sides of late with England having lost just once in eight Tests since 2007, so England will be confident of securing victory, and with it, the series.

What has happened in the series so far?

The series can be won here because England go into the match in Nottingham holding a 2-0 lead over India with two games to go in the five-match series after, at the Ageas Bowl and The Oval.

England kicked off the series with a gripping, Ben Stokes inspired, 31-run win at Edgbaston before defeating the tourists in rather more emphatic fashion at Lord’s in a rain-affected four-day contest by an innings and 159 runs.

^{Ben Stokes is back in the England squad, but will he play at Trent Bridge?}

Will Ben Stokes play?

Following the England all-rounders’ turbulent week after being cleared of affray on Tuesday, Stokes is back with the England squad and in contention to play at Trent Bridge. For all intents and purposes it is looking like he may well get the nod.

This leaves England with the mother of all selection dilemmas as they contemplate dropping any number of a cast of star performers from this summer so far.

They could drop Chris Woakes, but he was sensational last time out at Lord’s where he scored his maiden Test hundred. They could drop Ollie Pope, but he only made his debut at the Home of Cricket too. Adil Rashid, conditions depending, may be left out but he has not done much wrong, or indeed much at all, in the series so far.

If Stokes does come back in, it seems likely that Sam Curran will face the axe in an extremely harsh move following the 20-year-old’s starring role in the first Test.

India have selection issues of their own with the decision to play two spinners at Lord's roundly criticised, so Jasprit Bumrah is likely to replace Kuldeep Yadav in the line-up.

Captain Virat Kohli's back troubles appear to have subsided enough for him to be able to play at Trent Bridge while it appears that Shikhar Dhawan may return in place of either KL Rahul or Murali Vijay. If India's training sessions are anything to go by then Rishabh Pant is set to replace the out-of-form Dinesh Karthik in the wicketkeeper-batsman stakes too.

WHO WILL ENGLAND PLAY AT TRENT BRIDGE? OUR WRITERS HAVE THEIR SAY...

How can I follow the match?

Sky Sports will have live coverage of every day of the Test, as usual, on Sky Sports Cricket (channel 404) and Sky Sports Main Event (channel 401).

Test Match Special will be providing ball-by-ball radio coverage of each day too via the following radio stations (DAB: 12B Freeview: 706 Freesat: 706 Sky (UK only): 0144 Virgin Media: 908 Virgin Media Ireland: 928).

The Cricketer will provide updates through social media alongside coverage of the matches on our website.

What is the weather looking like?

The forecast for Trent Bridge on Saturday looks promising, partly cloudy with a high of 24 degrees Celsius.

Day two, on Sunday, looks more problematic as showers are forecast with a high of 22 degrees Celsius but play should be pretty much uninterrupted from there.

Days three, four and five are all set to be partly cloudy with highs of 24, 26 and 23 degrees Celsius respectively.

What are the odds?

England are, predictably, favourites at 8/13 with the draw priced at 4/1 and an Indian victory at 3/1.