A deserved victory for the hosts in the last Test levelled things up at 1-1 but a first series win in England since 1988 is still on the cards for the West Indies.
Given the relatively one-sided nature of the second match, though, it’s clear that the tourists’ XI could do with some freshening up.
Several batsmen are failing to produce runs while the seam-bowling quartet is showing the strain of back-to-back Tests after a long lay-off.
With that in mind, here are four personnel changes the Windies should make for the decider which starts on Friday.
1. OUT: John Campbell, IN: Shayne Moseley
John Campbell has shown glimpses of real ability in his short Test career but with just one 50+ score from 16 innings, his numbers aren’t stacking up.
Campbell was the first man out in both innings of the second Test and his second dismissal – caught behind when wafting at a wide Stuart Broad delivery for four – was indefensible when his side needed to bat out the best part of a day for a draw.
The Jamaican didn’t cover himself in glory in the field either, dropping Ben Stokes on the final morning when the tourists’ destroyer in chief was on just 29.
Shayne Moseley is currently listed as a reserve player but as the only other specialist opener on the tour, the selectors should draft him in to replace the misfiring Campbell.
The 26-year-old has played just 28 First-Class matches and averages an unspectacular 31.48. Yet, he does have ten fifties and three centuries to his name, including a patient 155* for Barbados against Trinidad and Tobago in February.
Scores of 40 and 83* in the first warm-up match at Old Trafford suggest he can handle English conditions and he should be given a chance to show what he can do on the big stage.
2. OUT: Shai Hope IN: Nkrumah Bonner or Joshua Da Silva
Shai Hope has all the shots in the book and is the region’s best ODI batsman, but he simply isn’t producing the goods in the longest format.
The Barbadian came into this series under pressure and he hasn’t yet been able to release it. With a top score of 25 from four innings thus far, he looks bereft of confidence and it’s time to take him out of the firing line.
Given that he is a member of the official Test squad, Nkrumah Bonner looks the most likely to benefit from any changes to the tourists’ top order.
The 31-year-old has a frankly poor career First-Class record, averaging just 27.22 from 69 matches. Yet, judging by his performances during the curtailed 2019-20 Regional Four Day Competition – in which he was the fourth-highest overall run-scorer – he may have finally worked out how to succeed with the bat at elite level.
Bonner is also a handy leg-spinner and could conceivably contribute with the ball.
Joshua Da Silva is the other player in with a sniff should Hope be dropped.
The talented 22-year-old kept wicket and batted in the middle order for Trinidad and Tobago during the domestic season but could shift up a few spots to play as a specialist batsman.
Da Silva was the most impressive performer in the second warm-up game on this tour, scoring 133* and 56*, but like Moseley, he would need to be drafted in from the reserve list.
3. OUT: Alzarri Joseph IN: Rahkeem Cornwall
With pace, swing and control, Alzarri Joseph has all the tools to make it big in the game and was identified as a potential key player ahead of this series.
However, while the 23-year-old hasn’t done much wrong with the ball, he hasn’t found a great deal of success against England’s batsmen, taking just three wickets in four innings. As the fourth seamer in the quartet, he should be the one to miss out in favour of the specialist spinner.
Rahkeem Cornwall has had to wait patiently for an opportunity on this tour and his time should finally come on Friday.
There was turn on offer at this venue last week and had he been in the side, it’s likely he’d have returned even better first-innings figures than Roston Chase’s 5/172.
The Antiguan ran amok against the England Lions in the Caribbean in 2018 and should be high on confidence after a 10-wicket haul in his most recent Test outing against Afghanistan late last year.
4. OUT: Shannon Gabriel, IN: Chemar Holder
Shannon Gabriel played a major role in the Windies’ victory in the first Test, picking up nine wickets and the Man of the Match award.
He looked stiff and sore for much of the second encounter in Manchester, though, and went wicketless.
When he’s not firing on all cylinders, the strapping fast bowler can be expensive with the ball and a liability both with the bat and in the field. Three back-to-back Tests would surely be too much of a stretch.
A rest for Gabriel would provide an opportunity for an exciting young talent, in Chemar Holder. The Barbadian – no relation to captain Jason – is one of two spare seamers in the squad alongside Raymon Reifer.
Capable of regularly bowling upwards of 85mph despite being just 22, the U19 World Cup winner took more wickets than any other seamer in the Caribbean during the domestic season and toured England with West Indies ‘A’ last year.
His selection would freshen up a tired attack, present a new challenge to the English batsmen and give the world a first proper look at a youngster who is being tipped for greatness.
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