England vs India Winner Prediction
Recommended Bet: Back the draw @ 2.5 with Betway
Time for our match prediction. You will have noticed in the head-to-head section that the result that has happened the most between these two over the years is the draw.
However, there haven’t been too many draws at Trent Bridge recently, with only three in the last 17.
But then again, not many of those matches had as bad a weather forecast as this one. As we said already, there could well be plenty of overs lost to rain on each of the last four days and that could well deny us a result here.
The other point is that very often in the First Test of a Series, neither side wants to lose. Sounds obvious, I know, but what I mean is that either side will probably settle for a draw rather than forcing the issue.
Even more so given that both Root and Kohli are ‘safety-first’ captains. So if everything points to time taken out of the game and no real desire to take unnecessary risks, it’s the draw that stands out.
It’s 2.5 with Betway in terms of the England v India betting odds on the draw and that looks the right call. Here’s our in-house Betway review for you to read so you see why we think it’s a top site for Indian customers.
India First Innings Lead
Recommended Bet: Back India to Lead after the 1st Innings @ 2.37 with Betway
I don’t see any particular reason why India are such outsiders to take a 1st innings lead.
I make this match much closer than the odds suggest to begin with and let’s remember that England are definitely without the amazing Ben Stokes and probably without Ollie Pope, as well.
That could cost them about 100 runs between them and if India get to bowl first in damp, overcast conditions, they could easily restrict England to less than 250 and make a few more than that when it’s their turn to bat.
It’s also very possible that Virat Kohli, with excellent form on this ground given he scored 97 and a century last time here, does it all by himself.
Either way, at 2.37, it’s too good a price to turn down that India better England’s first-innings score.
Today’s England vs India Hot Bet
Recommended Bet: Back Ajinkya Rahane to be India first innings top batsman @ 5.5 with Betway
If you’ve been reading Bet India for a while, you may guess where we’re going with our India top batsman bet.
We’re big Ajinkya Rahane fans over here and never forgot one of the coolest stats going in cricket: he’s just about the only batsman who has a superior average away from home than at home.
In India he averages 36.47 but in the Caribbean he averages 102, in South Africa 53 and in Bangladesh 98.
It is however true that in England it drops to 29, the only place where it’s not higher than at home. But he’s still got four fifties and a century in English conditions, plenty of experience of playing there and bats at a decent spot at number five.
He’s our man here, especially as a 6.5 fifth-favourite.
England vs India fun statistics
Shall we look at some cool England v India stats? Let’s do it.
- If India field the XI I think they will, nine of the players in action will be the same ones from the last match between these two played here in 2018. Only Shikhar Dhawan and Hardik Pandya won’t play here, having played three years ago.
- By contrast, if England play the XI I think they will, only Root, Buttler, Bairstow, Anderson and Broad played in that match here in Nottingham back in 2018.
- Joe Root and Virat Kohli are considered two of the four best Test batsmen in the world, with Steve Smith and Kane Williamson completing the list. Root averages 48.68 with 20 Test centuries in 105 matches; Kohli averages 52.04 with 27 centuries in 97 Tests.
- Rohit Sharma has only played 39 Tests, compared to 227 ODIs and 111 T20Is.
- Ravi Jadeja’s figures show what a true all-rounder he is: 221 wickets in 52 Tests, 15 fifties and 38 catches.
- James Anderson is already England’s most capped Test player with 162 appearances and will add to that number here. Broad is third on 148 and eyeing up Alastair Cook’s 161 games for England.
