India faces a daunting challenge at Old Trafford, where they remain winless in nine Tests (four losses, five draws). After the heartbreak at Lord's, the visitors trail the series 2-1 and must overcome England's formidable pace attack led by Jofra Archer on a surface expected to assist fast bowlers.

England hasn't lost at Old Trafford since September 2019, defeating West Indies, Pakistan, South Africa, and drawing with Australia since then. Joe Root leads venue scoring with 978 runs from 11 matches at 65.20 average, while captain Ben Stokes has 579 runs at 52.63.

Root praised Stokes' leadership mentality after Lord's nail-biting finish, expressing confidence in their captain's determination to secure victory at England's "happy hunting ground."