The Fourth Test between England and India begins tomorrow morning, with Old Trafford in Manchester playing the role of host.
Ben Stokes’ team enter this match with a 2-1 series lead following a dramatic victory at Lord’s last Monday.
Can India bounce back and level the scores ahead of the Fifth Test at The Oval? We will soon find out.
Below is another full Test match preview from NetBet, complete with latest cricket odds and tips for your midweek sports bet.
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England vs India Fourth Test Preview
England’s 22-run win in a fiery Test at Lord’s will serve as perfect preparation for this contest.
Jofra Archer’s return to the longest format of the game was a resounding success and he has been named in the starting XI for Old Trafford, which is great news from a fitness perspective given his injury woes.
England have only made one change to their team, with experienced spin bowling all-rounder Liam Dawson replacing Shoaib Bashir, who has been ruled out of the remainder of the series with the broken finger he suffered at Lord’s.
From an Indian perspective, the big talking point with regard to team news is whether Jasprit Bumrah will play.
With all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy now ruled out of the final two Tests after suffering an injury in training and Akash Deep another fitness doubt, Bumrah may have to be risked in Manchester.
India’s main man has taken 12 wickets in his two appearances over the summer at an average of 21.00 – and he perfectly compliments the passionate Mohammed Siraj with the new ball.
Reddy’s absence also poses an issue in terms of batting for the visiting side and it will be interesting to see which team captain Shubman Gill names tomorrow morning.
Sai Sudharsan could return to the XI, while wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel is another option, as Rishabh Pant can preserve his energy levels and play solely as a batter.
All will be answered tomorrow!
England vs India Fourth Test Odds
*All odds are subject to change
England are the favourites here at odds of 1.94, with India priced at 3.26. With poor weather conditions sadly forecast on a number of the days, the draw is far more likely than usual at 3.59.
England vs India Fourth Test Betting Tips
Top Batter – Joe Root @ 6.00
Unsurprisingly, Root is the leading run scorer in Test matches played at Old Trafford, with the Yorkshireman tallying 978 of them at an average of 65.20. With second place in the all-time Test runs standings within his sights, expect another calm and ruthless batting display from England’s finest.
Top Bowler – Chris Woakes @ 6.50
Woakes has got a phenomenal record at Old Trafford, with conditions suiting his bowling style. In seven matches, he has picked up 35 wickets at an average of 17.37.
Highest individual score – Under 140.5 @ 1.83
With rainy conditions threatening to ruin the contest, as it seems to do on a regular basis in Manchester, high scores may be at a premium. Conditions should favour the bowlers even more with moisture in the air, while a reduction in playing time could also see the match played in fast forward, which lends itself to lower individual scores.
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