IND vs ENG: India's Winless Run at Old Trafford or Ben Stokes' Bold Toss Call - Which Unwanted Streak Will Come to An End?

When Ben Stokes called it right at the toss ahead of the start of the 4th India vs England Test of the series at Old Trafford, Manchester, it extended India's winless run in tosses across formats to 14 straight games on the trot - not the kind of record any Indian captain would want! 

However, India's overall record at Old Trafford is also not an envious one - they have played a Test at the venue on 9 occasions and have not won a single time. They have lost 4 of those games, with the remaining 5 ending in draws. 

But Stokes' call to bowl first also brings to the fore an interesting statistic when it comes to tosses at Old Trafford. 

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Can Stokes End Old Trafford Toss Record?

In the history of Test cricket at the venue, captains have traditionally wanted to bat first - and with good reason too. 

Only on 11 occasions has a captain won a toss at Old Trafford and chosen to bowl first - and on none of those occasions have the team gone on to win the Test match. 

3 of those Tests ended in defeats for the team that opted to bowl first, and the remaining 8 ended in draws. 

If England go on to win the Test, Stokes will be the first captain to win the toss at Old Trafford, opt to bowl and then end up on the victorious side. 

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Will India End Another Unbeaten Streak?

On the other hand, India's long streak at the venue with no wins can also come to an end, just as they ended their Edgbaston hoodoo in earlier in the series. 

They had failed to win a Test in Edgbaston prior to 2025 but won the Test in style, giving Gill his first-ever win as India's Test captain. 

A win at Old Trafford will not only break the streak, but also keep India's chances of winning the series alive as a loss here renders the Test at The Oval null and void.