Tournament | England v India 4th Test Match Prediction |
Timetable | 2nd - 6th September 2021 |
Prediction | India to Win |
Odds | 2.70 (Bet ₹2500 and win ₹6750) |
Bookmaker | 888 Sport |
England came out on top at Headingley Stadium and while this was not great for the India cricket team, it was great for the series as it is now beautifully poised. The series is now tied at 1-1 with two Tests left, meaning that there is a lot to play for. Not only are bragging rights up for grabs, but there are also ICC World Test Championship 2022 points up for grabs. The fourth Test will be played at the Oval Cricket Ground from the 2nd to the 6th of September, and this is who we think will come out on top.
England Team Preview
After what happened in the second Test, not many cricket fans would have given the hosts much chance of turning their fortunes around in such spectacular fashion. Not only did they bowl the Indian team out for a really embarrassing total, but they then went ahead and batted the visitors out of the game. They put on a near perfect performance, and will have plenty of confidence coming into the match.
England made a couple of changes to their starting eleven for the third Test and those changes all came off pretty well. The opening pair of Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed looked settled, and their confidence help to settle the middle order. Joe Root, as he has done all year, was brilliant and hit a match-winning century.
England look well-equipped on the bowling front and have bowlers that can bowl in various conditions. James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Sam Curran, and Craig Overton were not only really economical, but they kept picking up wickets regularly. Chris Woakes is expected to rejoin the squad, so one of Curran or Overton will make way for him. Jos Buttler has been out of sorts lately, so he might be dropped and replaced by Ollie Pope, who has a very good record at The Oval in domestic cricket.
After that win, England suddenly look a much better team, but it will be interesting to see what happens if they lose some early wickets because their top order still relies too much on Root. If the England batting lineup can put on a decent score against the Indian bowlers, then they will be a tricky team to beat.
India Team Preview
As usually happens after a big defeat, a lot of talk in India has been about team selection. There are a number of questions that the Indian team want answers for, and they will have to find them pretty quickly. Yes, they are still in this series, but it is safe to say that the momentum is all with England. Additionally, it is not unfair to say that their batting lineup has not performed to the best of their ability.
It is not often that a team gets bowled out for less than 100, but India have managed to do that twice this year. They were bowled out for a mere 36 Down Under, and in the last match they were bowled out for 78. India's batting has been really inconsistent, and they need to find a way to hit big scores regularly.
There is the chance that India will field six batmen as well as a specialist wicket-keeper, which is something that Virat Kohli played down in his post-match conference. If the management do decide to go for this option, then it is likely that Ravi Jadeja will make way and that Hanuma Vihari will take his place.
When it comes to their bowling, India have done really well. The last match was a bit of an anomaly though as they allowed England to get past 400 runs. Ishant Sharma looked unfit and we will probably see one of Ravi Ashwin or Shardul Thakur replace him in the next Test.
The way that Indian fought back in their second innings was commendable, and Cheteshwar Pujura got a bit of form under his belt. However, Ajinkya Rahane's form is still very concerning. India are down because of their last heavy defeat, but given their fighting spirit and their variety of options, they are definitely not out. We expect them to bounce back at The Oval.
Toss Prediction
Given what happened in the first innings of the last Test, if India wins the toss and there is a bit of green on the pitch, we are sure that they will put England in to bat first. If England win the toss, we think they will also put India in to bat first, hoping that they still have a hangover from their previous poor betting performance.
Pitch Conditions
We expect a good batting pitch, bit it might be a bit tricky to navigate at the start of the match. If the team that bats first can get past the first hour or two without a lot of damage, then they can make hay when the ball goes soft.
Our Match Prediction
Thanks to the Headingley Test, this series is truly alive, and we certainly have plenty to look forward to in the fourth Test. England are ahead when it comes to stability and form, but India usually perform well when they are under the pump. This seems to be a situation that Kohli and his men relish, and this was seen Down Under as well. This will be a huge test of character and grit for India, and we think they will come out on top.
Our match prediction: