India claimed a fantastic win in Birmingham to level the series at 1-1. The 5 match Test series now heads to Lord’s for a highly anticipated 3rd Test. Check out our full preview and betting tips for the 3rd Test between England and India from Lord’s below.
We'll be providing betting tips for every Test match throughout the English summer, so be sure to check back in the lead up to each for our previews. All odds for the English summer of cricket are provided by Dabble.
England vs India: 3rd Test Betting Tips
Lord’s, Thursday, 10th July, 8.00pm (AEDT)
Jofra to Inject Life Into England Pace Attack
England suffered a heavy 336-run defeat to India in the second Test at Edgbaston, a result that leveled the series at 1-1 and exposed significant vulnerabilities in the home side’s approach. Despite a promising start with the bat—posting 407 in the first innings—England’s bowlers were unable to contain India’s dominant batting lineup, conceding a massive 587.
The second innings saw England chasing an improbable 608 for victory. The top order faltered, and the team was dismissed for 271. Former captains Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan criticized Zak Crawley and Chris Woakes for their performances, suggesting Crawley is "past his sell-by date."
The bowling attack looked pretty pedestrian throughout the match and will no doubt result in a change as spearhead Jofra Archer is waiting in the wings. There were some promising signs with the bat, however, as Jamie Smith and Harry Brook both blasted hundreds in the first inning.
Predicted England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir
Captain Gill Commands, Akash Deep Destroys in India’s Emphatic Bounce-Back
India bounced back in emphatic fashion at Edgbaston, led by new captain Shubman Gill, who plundered 269 in the first innings and following it up with a rapid 161 in the second, earning him the Player of the Match award. India posted formidable totals of 587 and 427/6 declared, showcasing their batting depth and dominance.
Despite spearhead Jasprit Bumrah sitting out the Test, the Indian bowling attack complemented the batting prowess with a disciplined and incisive performance. Debutant Akash Deep was the standout, claiming a total of 10 wickets in the match, including a six-wicket haul in the second innings, marking a record for an Indian pacer in England. Mohammed Siraj also contributed significantly with a six-wicket haul in England's first innings, ensuring India maintained control throughout the match.
With Bumrah coming back into the side for the 3rd Test, this Indian line-up will only get stronger. Over the past 10 years, India have become the masters of the horses for courses approach to selection in Test cricket, so it’s hard to see exactly which way they will go here with their abundance of talented all-rounders.
Predicted India XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj
England vs India 3rd Test Tip
Shubman Gill’s sublime form and the emergence of Akash Deep with the ball have given India a new-found balance and depth that England will struggle to counter on a pitch expected to offer swing and seam early on. India’s bowlers, led by Bumrah and Siraj, have proven their ability to exploit English conditions, making it difficult for England’s fragile top order to settle.
England will be buoyed by the return of Jofra Archer, whose pace and aggression add a vital X-factor to their attack. However I think there are a few too many vulnerabilities in their top order against this dynamic Indian pace attack at the moment. Crawley, Pope and Root all look under immense pressure whenever they trot out to bat and I think Pope in particular could see his final Test played at some stage during this series.
Back India to assert their dominance with both bat and ball in Lord’s and take a 2-1 lead in the series.
