At long last test match cricket returns to India and what better opposition to play against than old rivals England.
It feels like a lifetime ago since we last watched India play test cricket. The national side has waited patiently but finally, the time has come to show their worth.
The series with England will be played out over 4 tests, starting on 5th February and culminating on March 4th. Unlike the recent IPL, each test match will be played in India, but unfortunately, fans are unlikely to be allowed inside the stadium. Nevertheless, were surely in for a fantastic cricketing spectacle.
We have had a look at both teams. There have been some interesting inclusions for both India and England and therefore we have identified the betting markets we believe hold the most value.
India v England – Test series betting tips and odds
This preview includes our top tips for the India v England test match series. We have also had a look at some other odds that may be of interest.
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To win the series odds
- India 1.40
- England 5.00
- Series drawn 6.00
Looking at these post series odds, the bookmakers clearly have India as favourites to win the test series. We think it would be a brave punter to go early with this, simply because England will be a stern test; harder and more difficult than many pundits are predicting.
India form guide
India is a solid test side. They dominate most matches, grinding the opposition with batting prowess and sublime bowling. There was one uncharacteristic blip in early 2020 when they succumbed to a plucky New Zealand side.
Taking this poor result out of the equation, India simply doesn’t lose many test matches. In fact in the passed 20 test match series, dating back to 2015, India has only lost on 3 occasions; which is quite a staggering show of force and dominance.
When we looked at India’s test match results, we did notice one loss against England in 2018. This was series was played in England for the Pataudi Trophy. England was in good form on that occasion and India struggled to get into their groove.
In recent test matches, India has looked extremely good. Some excellent performances have seen them overcome the likes of Bangladesh, South Africa, West Indias, and most recently Australia. As good as the 2-1 series victory over Australia was, we strongly believe England will put up a much stronger fight.
India Squad and Players to watch
The Indian side is strong and competitive throughout. A solid mix of robustness with the bat in hand combined with power and consistency at bowling.
India test squad
Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Mohd. Siraj.
Obviously, there are the usual big game players that everyone likes to watch. Kohli, Sharma, and Rahul will no doubt be the driving force behind India.
One player we think could have a string test match is Mayank Agarwal. He is one of the best opening batsmen in world cricket. We think if Agarwal quickly finds his groove then England will struggle to break India down. His test match stats speak for themselves;
Mayank Agarwal batting test stats
Matches 14, Innings 23, Runs 1052, Highest score 243, Average 45.7 Strike rate 54.5
When it comes to bowling, India can call on experience, essential with the rigours and demands of test cricket. Ashwin will always be a driving force of India’s attack however we think that Jasprit Bumrah may just be India’s hero in this series.
Bumrah’s stats are outrageous at times. The right-handed paceman is simply awesome to watch;
Jasprit Bumrah bowling test stats
Matches 17, Innings 34, Balls bowled 3787, Maidens 151, Runs against 1706, Wickets 79, Economy 2.70
It would be easy to justify our India v England betting tips, concentrating on the India side alone. They will be extremely difficult to play against and we think ultimately they will win the series.
England form guide
By comparison, England looks less dominant than India. Perhaps consistency is a key part of England’s failure to really dominate for any lengthy period of time, especially in test cricket.
Nevertheless, recent results will provide huge optimism for the England squad. They undoubtedly have some excellent players, both with the bat and ball in hand. They will certainly provide India with a huge test and be tough opposition, we just feel that the likes of Jofra Archer can sometimes go missing when England needs him the most.
With India being so powerful when in bat, England’s bowlers need to quickly find their rhythm. If they don’t heads will drop and the series will be long and sufferable.
Like India, England can call on experience. If Jimmy Anderson is given half a chance he can quickly lift spirits, whilst Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler are more than capable of supporting Root when batting.
England Squad and players to watch
England test squad
Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
We have come to be impressed with England’s expertise in T20 cricket. A big-hitting batsman like Stokes has seen England find success.
One England player we think might do well in this series is Rory Burns. The Surrey Left Hander often seems to go under the radar, whilst he quietly, but efficiently goes about his business. We think he’s more than capable to cause India some problems.
Rory Burns test batting stats
Matches 21, Innings 38, Runs 1233, Highest score 133, Average 32.4 Strike rate 44.8
England can call upon a wealth of experience when it is their turn to bowl. With a solid mix of pace and spin, the attack can be used with great effect, we just wonder if the Indian team will dominate so much, it will have a negative impact on some of England’s bowlers.
Nevertheless, we have always been huge fans of Moeen Ali. The right-arm off-spinner, if in form, can really leave his mark on cricket matches.
Moeen Ali test bowling stats
Matches 60, Innings 105, Balls bowled 10972, Maidens 265, Runs against 6624, Wickets 181, Economy 3.62
Keep returning to our India v England betting tips for regular updates. India v England is a classic test match contest between two heavyweights of international cricket. Whatever the outcome, we can guarantee an enthralling and entertaining contest over the series.