Should India be concerned about the English test team?

Team Udayavani, Feb 2, 2021, 10:07 AM IST

Source: "Tops for Yorkshire: Joe Root" (Public Domain) by ForwardDefensive

While The Ashes is the test series that is most closely followed by English cricket fans, undoubtedly the battle for the Anthony de Mello Trophy comes a close second. This year’s four-test series is set to be a true thriller with the home side riding high after their dramatic win in Australia and England who arrive full of confidence following their 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka.

In all, it’s a contest that has been held no less than 13 times since it was inaugurated in 1951 and records are strictly in India’s favour with seven wins and three draws. So what are the chances of England adding to their own tally of three wins?

Source: “Cricket Ball” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by craiglea123

At the end of January, it would certainly seem that the betting odds aren’t exactly in England’s favour. India stands at 4/9 to win while the visitors are 7/2. It could be that even better odds are available for the home side when you look at the situation of sports betting in India.

With several sportsbooks available there is bound to be some variation in odds and most sites also offer a generous rupee bonus for new players. Eager cricket fans looking to become part of this community will find betting odds explanations on this site too.

There’s no doubt that it’s going to be a challenge for the English tourists as the figures only go to show that they have struggled in India in the past. Batsmen, in particular, find it hard to adapt to the conditions in which spin bowling predominates compared with the greener, softer wickets of countries like England and New Zealand which give far more help to fast and medium-pace bowlers.

That said, captain Joe Root is one batsman who instinctively knows how to handle the world’s best spinners. He has also certainly shown that he has regained his form in Sri Lanka where he led the batting averages by a considerable margin. However, England will be missing the presence of the team’s second-highest scorer, Jos Buttler, who has headed back to England as part of the team’s rotation policy.

On the plus side for the tourists, Ben Stokes has flown out to join the team and he has consistently shown that he is a player who can change the direction of a match with bat and ball. One only has to look to his innings in the Headingley Ashes test of 2019 to see this in action.
Turning to the bowlers, the squad will be greatly strengthened by the return of Jofra Archer after his enforced lay-off. Again, he is a player capable of producing a devastating spell of bowling just when it’s needed most.

England are also better served for spin options than in many previous series with Dom Bess, Jack Leach and Moeen Ali all available. The former two showed what they could do to a batting line-up in Sri Lanka although, in India, they’ll be playing a far superior side.

So, all things considered, the odds probably have it about right and a wise prediction would be a 3-1 series victory for India. But then cricket is nothing if not unpredictable – and that’s why so many people love it so much.