Root replaces Patel in Test debut

England sprang a significant surprise on Thursday morning by naming Joe Root for his Test debut in place of Samit Patel against India in Nagpur.

Twenty-one-year-old Yorkshireman Root is expected to bat at number six in the final Test at the VCA Stadium, where England hope to turn their 2-1 lead into a historic series victory.

The tourists decided they could not take a gamble on the fitness of Steven Finn, who missed training on Wednesday with a lower-back injury and was replaced in a two-man pace attack by Tim Bresnan.

Alastair Cook won his first toss since becoming England captain, and unsurprisingly chose to bat first against an Indian team containing three specialist spinners. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who also bowls left-arm spin, made his Test debut - and leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was also drafted into a team in which Ishant Sharma is the only frontline seamer.