England v India Fifth Test Player Tips: Five odds-against bets for the action at The Oval

• Top-order batters may struggle

• History of first-innings rescue acts

• Jamie Smith a value bet for runs on his home ground

• Akash Deep expected to swing ball

• Read the fifth Test match prediction HERE

• Betfair Predicts is your essential guide to England v India this summer

Betfair are giving punters an England v India fifth Test superboost that could provide a fitting finale to a brilliant series. Joe Root is the man of the moment, after his brilliant innings at Old Trafford put him second in the list of all-time Test match top run-scorers.

He's hit 36 boundaries in the series so far and you can back him at 11/102.11 - boosted from 8/131.61 - to hit four of more in England's first innings.

England v India
Thursday 31 July, 11.00
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Top first-innings runscorer

It is not the worst idea in the world to expect middle- and late-order runs at The Oval. Particularly in the first-innings. In my Test match preview, I have already revealed the runs per wicket averages per innings suggest batting is easier in the third and fourth rather than the first and second so that should inform how we bet in the first innings top runscorer markets.

Jamie Smith, then, is hard to ignore on his home ground. Although we don't often get bogged down in 'home advantage' and the feelgood factor that familiar surroundings and faces provide, it is an extra comfort rug for the Smith wager.

In truth, it is probably not needed. Smith has four wins in 13 in his fledgling Test career, And last summer against Sri Lanka he won in the second-innings. Protected from a new-ball burst which threatens top-order big scores, Smith may well be required to launch some sort of rescue mission.

It wasn't required in that first-innings against Sri Lanka for England with Ollie Pope hitting an impressive century but Sri Lanka needed it from Dhananjaya de Silva, down at No 6, to keep his team afloat. Previously the top order has really struggled to win this market and going back to India's last head-to-head against England on this ground in 2021 the other first-innings top bats have come from the following positions:5-4-5-5-8-3-8-6.

An aversion to the top order, then, is justified. Selling the openers' runs in-play is likely to be a go-to option in-play. Smith fits the bill perfectly at 13/27.50 while Harry Brook also deserves a mention.

Brook's demeanour is becoming quite tiresome and he could do well to focus on his rungetting. He should be furious that he missed out on a runfest at Old Trafford and one would hope the criticism he faced for cheapening the game when bowling late on day five should inspire him. Brook is value on win rate for a first-innings fifty and something counter-attacking from him is not unlikely. By Jove the bloke can play. Foget all the histrionics and bat as if your career depends on it, man! At 23 Tests it might be a good idea to reckon that you've not cracked it yet.

If we're wrong about Smith, then a late, late rescue act from Gus Atkinson, Liam Dawson or Chris Woakes has appeal at 18s, 17s and 22s.

For India, Shardul Thakur has a top-bat win in that 2021 Test and a half-century in the WTC Final. The 19/120.00 isn't outrageous value but could provide the smallest of stakes interest. Dhruv Jurel, who replaces Rishabh Pant, is 7/1 and that may be more appetising. There is no study sample to build a fair win rate picture but Jurel is a serious player. He has twice frustrated England before and could so again with a correct technique and ability to play all the shots. It is possible, too, that could bat at No 6 or 7.

Jurel catches the eye as an in-play option (match situation dependant) and it could be that his runs are cheap in the mid 20s. Alternatively Sportsbook offer 9/43.25 about a first-innings 50 although the caveat with that price is that it could be enough to win the whole thing.

Get live fifth Test prediction on Betfair Predicts

Top England first-innings bowler

Chris Woakes has had one of his most difficult series as an England bowler. Normally he is Mr Reliable and coming into the series he boasted a record on home soil that was as good as the great Messrs Anderson and Broad. Either he has lost his zip (no fast bowler likes the wicketkeeper standing up) or the pitches and Dukes ball have been unhelpful.

It is probably the latter and reports of his demise may have been exaggerated. Yes, he has looked innocuous at times but so has every bowler, even the superb Jasprit Bumrah. Some of the wickets have not been fair contests between bat and ball and Old Trafford was verging on the ridiculous.

If there was any venue in this series where it could pay to retain faith in Woakes this is it. He has an excellent record at The Oval with 26 wickets in 13 innings and a strike rate of 48. Indeed, he has won four of the seven first-innings top bowler markets for England at The Oval.

If we pair that record with a two-year win rate which stands at a still hugely impressive 37.5% then taking the 16/54.20 shouldn't be the against-the-tide wager that some might have us believe.

Top India first-innings bowler

Mohammed Siraj has been cut from 7/24.50 to 10/34.33 for top India bowler. That is not surprising. He was a big price because Bumrah had yet to be ruled out. Now that the great paceman will miss this contest it makes sense that his admirable deputy is made favourite.

It also makes sense that we recognise the value has gone. Siraj was a decent bet at the greater odds and although his all-action go-to-the-well style will keep him honest for his backers, it may pay to switch horses. Reports of Akash Deep swinging it around corners in south London mean he has appeal at [7/2] as he returns to the side following a groin niggle.

It is a risk getting with a bowler coming back from such an injury and one has to consider that India's hand hasn't been forced due to the state of the series. The hope is that with the likes of Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana available there is no need to take a gamble on Akash.Surely Gautam Gambhjir isn't that much of a hot-head?

Akash does seem to be the perfect fit for taking wickets at the venue. He can swing it both ways and the Woakes record should given him confidence. It is very much his type of surface and conditions. At Edgbaston he outbowled Bumrah and England will rightly feel nervous that he could significant damage for the second time in the series.

At Lord's Akash struggled to adapt to the slope and, as one would expect, he had to run up the hill at the Nursery End. He didn't quite click. Finding his groove again should cheer India.

Now read my fifth Test preview and tips