The battle for one-upmanship after India’s Edgbaston win 

Betting Odds

Our Predictions 

• Joe Root has odds of 4.10 to be England's best batsman 
• Shubman Gill has odds of 4.10 to be India's best batsman 
• Chris Woakes has odds of 3.60 to be England's best bowler 
• Jasprit Bumrah has odds of 2.64 to be India's best bowler 

MATCH PREVIEW     

The five-match Test series stands level after the Indians registered a historic win at Edgbaston. In one of the strongest comebacks in recent years, the Indian team demolished the hosts by 336 runs. The English team paid the price for complacency in the last game and failed to capitalize on key moments. The bowling attack looked clueless against India’s batting onslaught and needs to get its act right. They have a good record at Lord’s and shall start this game with higher odds. The Indians were phenomenal in the last game, where few pundits gave them a chance. With the series levelled, this game may decide the outcome of the series, and we expect a thrilling contest.   

England Preview     

Ben Stokes will be a worried man heading into the next game. Their bowlers have struggled against the Indians in both games, and they failed to capitalize on the home advantage. They will get a better pitch in this game and have made key changes to the squad. It gives them a slight edge on cricket betting sites. However, the Indians will come hard at them in this game, and Stokes would like the side to strike a balance between caution and aggression to regain the lead.  

Zak Crawley’s lack of form is a problem for the team, and they expect him to offer a steady start with Ben Duckett. Ollie Pope must play with more responsibility at No. 3 and add runs in this game with Joe Root and Harry Brooke. Jamie Smith continues to impress and has taken on the Indian bowling attack to the cleaners. He will look to add runs in the lower middle order with Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes.  

England's bowling attack has struggled in both games, forcing the team to make significant changes to its bowling lineup. Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes must get early breakthroughs to put the in-form Indian batting lineup under pressure. Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson add an edge to the attack and must do well. The side will expect Root to fill in the role of the spinner in this important game.  

Expected Starting XI for England     

Ben Stokes (c), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse 

India Preview      

Shubman Gill tasted his first win as the skipper of the Test side in the last game. It was one of the most historic wins for the Indian Test team as they broke the Birmingham jinx, with the captain leading from the front. The bowling attack performed brilliantly despite the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. While they will start this game behind in cricket betting apps, Gill would look to defy the odds and take his team to a 2-1 lead in the series.  

Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored runs in both games, and he will look forward to delivering a strong start with KL Rahul. Gill scored 430 runs in the last game, and he will look to anchor the innings in the middle order with Sai Sudharsan and the maverick Rishab Pant. The lower middle order did well in the last game, and the team expects runs from Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Reddy, and Washington Sundar.  

The bowling attack struggled to put up an excellent show in the last game, despite a flat surface, to get a great bargain. Jasprit Bumrah’s return strengthens the attack, and he will look to trouble the batters with the new ball, along with last game’s match-winner, Akash Deep. Mohammad Siraj performed well in the last game, which will boost his confidence. India is likely to play three spinners and expect a good show from Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Sundar.  

Expected Starting XI for India     

Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah 

TOSS: To Bowl First      

The Lord’s favors teams chasing the score in the 4th inning. It is a difficult wicket for batsmen at the start, when fast bowlers have an edge, but the conditions improve as the game progresses. Hence, the side that wins the toss would look to bowl first and put the team in a strong position.         

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS      

There would be clear skies over London, and we expect to see a good batting surface. The bowlers will have an upper hand on the first two days, and the conditions will get better from Day 3 onward. The average first-innings score is 309 runs, and the side batting first will be happy to have 450 runs on the board.    

OUR PREDICTION      

India's batting has surprised its fans and critics in this series. They have taken the English attack to the cleaners, but the side will face a stronger attack and tougher batting conditions in this game. It will be a tough game for their bowlers as well, and they must execute their plans flawlessly to win. England has a stronger bowling attack suited to these conditions, and their batting looks promising. There is very little to choose between the two teams, but England playing on their turf has a slight edge.  

Our prediction is for England to win