England vs India 2018: 3 Indians for whom this Test series is likely to be the last

After intermittently shedding their habit at Trent Bridge, India couldn't resist it anymore at Southampton. So close yet so far has been India's recurrent story in overseas Test matches. India has been finding ways to gift victories to the opposition after initially being in a commanding position in the matches.

The two changes for England in the fourth Test proved to be a masterstroke as England's win was largely owing to a resilient Sam Curran and an on-target Moeen Ali. The hopes of a series victory in England again went to ashes and can be attributed primarily to the consistently inconsistent Indian batsmen. A few batsmen took their own time to make a mark in the series and a few are yet to do it. Things are not looking propitious especially for these 3 Indian players who are battling a race against time.

---

#3 Murali Vijay

Vijay was not picked for the last two Tests

It would take a herculean effort from Murali Vijay to force his way into the national side again. With unconvincing and uninspiring performances in the first two Tests, Vijay was dropped for the third and went out of consideration for the last two Tests. His foot movement seemed delayed and leaves were indecisive. The ‘Monk’ we all had in mind, never arrived in England.

In this day and age, any batsman who plays most of his matches in India is expected to have an average well above Vijay's nominal 39.33. However, his credibility in alien conditions is what worked in the Chennai lad's favor till now. This series was expected to make or break Vijay's career and unfortunately for the 34-year-old, the latter took effect.

#2 Shikhar Dhawan

Dhawan hasn't scored a fifty so far in this series

Five years after making his Test debut, Gabbar still hasn't cemented a spot in the Indian Test team. Though his dexterousness in away conditions was always in question, Dhawan somehow found a way to be a part of most tours. The Delhi lad has managed 158 runs in six innings so far and hasn't been impactful in any of them. Signs of improvement are visible but you wonder if it is a little too late for the Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman.

At 32, Dhawan is still a work in progress and we are yet to see him at his prime. With the likes of Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw not giving the selectors any reason to overlook them and with age, not on Dhawan's side, this might well and truly be the southpaw's last series in whites.

#1 Dinesh Karthik

Karthik has had a miserable Test comeback

The Nidhas Trophy star's fairy-tale run came to a screeching halt during the Test series in England. Karthik's Midas touch ran out of battery and he could hardly put bat to ball in the two Tests that he played in. His scores of 0, 20, 1, 0 didn't help the team's cause as well as his. If his time in front of the stumps was a nightmare, his time behind them wasn't any better. His glove-work left a lot to be desired and his discomfort with the spacing between him and the slip fielders was on display, way too often.

20-year-old Pant, who replaced Karthik after the first two Tests, is yet to make a defining impact with the bat. His time with the gloves, on the other hand, has been assuring. Not to forget, India's regular wicket-keeper, Saha, will also make the KKR captain's Test dream that much more difficult.