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England
India
The 5th Test between England and India at The Oval will be the series decider for India. After the 4th Test ended in a draw, England will head into this match with a 2-1 lead and will only need a draw to win the series. On the other hand, India needs a win to level the series.
In the last Test, both teams batted well in Manchester. Indiaβs second innings started poorly with two early wickets, but KL Rahul and Shubman Gill built a solid stand. Later, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja ensured India didnβt lose more wickets, helping them earn a draw.
England are likely to stick with their core line-up, while India could consider changes with Bumrah and Pant out. The last 5 Tests between these sides have seen both teams win 2 each, with one ending in a draw. This sets up the 5th Test as a must-win for India.
Joe Root has scored back-to-back centuries in the last two Tests, making a strong start in the first innings likely.
The betting tip is...
1st Innings: Joe Root Top Batter for England
64 %
36 %
EnglandIndiaEngland will go into the 5th Test with confidence after a strong all-round performance in the 4th Test. Ben Stokes was the standout, taking five wickets in the first innings and scoring 141 off 198 in the second.
Joe Root added 150 off 148, while Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett contributed 47 and 94, respectively. Zak Crawley scored 84 and Ollie Pope made 71, giving England a strong start. England finished with 669 runs in their only innings.
Jofra Archer picked up three wickets, while Woakes and Dawson took one each. Ben Stokes is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 17 wickets. Jamie Smith and Joe Root have scored 424 and 403 runs respectively in the series. Duckett follows with 365 runs and an average of 47.94 in his last 10 matches. Root is the only England batter with two centuries in the series.
Root, Duckett and Stokes are the key players.
Predicted Lineup: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Brydon Carse, Chris Woakes, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson.
India will face the 5th Test with injury concerns and forced changes. Rishabh Pant fractured his toe and will miss the match, with Dhruv Jurel taking over wicketkeeping duties.
Jasprit Bumrah will also be rested due to workload management. He is Indiaβs leading wicket-taker in the series with 15 wickets from just five innings. Akash Deepβs availability remains uncertain, while Anshul Kamboj, who made his debut in the 4th Test, will retain his spot after dismissing Duckett in the nineties.
Shubman Gill will lead the side and is also the top run-scorer in the series with four centuries and over 700 runs. KL Rahul remains consistent with over 500 runs. Jadeja has been key with the bat, scoring 454 runs at an average of 113.50. Pant scored 479 runs but is unavailable. Jaiswal will aim for a better contribution, while Sundar offers value with both bat and ball.
Rahul, Gill and Jadeja are the key players.
Predicted Lineup: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Anshul Kamboj.
England will start the 5th Test in a strong position with the series on their side. They have shown consistency with the bat. India will be under pressure and will need early breakthroughs if they bowl first.
Joe Root has found top form after a slow start, scoring centuries in the last two Tests. He has scored over 400 runs in the series and averages above 67. In his last 10 Tests, he has made over 800 runs.
With his recent form and familiarity with the conditions at The Oval, Root is expected to play another solid innings at the top and guide England to a strong first-innings total.
