India v England Fourth Test Betting: Mumbai magic in short supply this time for Cook

Ed Hawkins
07 December 2016

Cook's team may struggle to make it three-in-a-row in Mumbai

Join

Twitter

Facebook

View the Betslip

Ed Hawkins previews game four from Mumbai from the early hours of Thursday and says England have not shown enough to warrant support...

"In Mohali England had a golden opportunity to put India under pressure but their batting failed. And when they had the hosts under the pump at 156 for 5 they let them escape to 417"

Recommended Bet
India at 1.618/13

India v England
Thursday 8 December 04.00
TV: live on Sky Sports

India

India are on the brink of history. If they avoid defeat in Mumbai they will secure a fifth straight series victory for the first time in 84 years.

They will have to do it without Ajinkya Rahane, whose hand injury rules him out. His place will go to either Manish Pandey or Karun Nair. Pandey, always an impressive figure in the shorter forms, is yet to play a Test.

There is also a doubt about the fitness of pace bowler Mohammad Shami. His 10 wickets in the series have cost 25 each so he will be missed. Bhuv Kumar stands by.

KL Rahul returns to his opening role and Parthiv Patel will continue to deputise for the injured Wriddi Saha.

England

More changes for England. Haseeb Hameed's broken hand ruled him out of the series so Keaton Jennings will open with Alastair Cook - the skipper's 11th opening partner since Andrew Strauss.

Jennings is South African and qualifies after four years in the county game. He has a first-class average of 46 and makes his debut in good touch after a ton for England Lions in the UAE.

Stuart Broad is rated 50/50 with a foot injury. Steven Finn stands by with England expected to field four seamers (James Anderson, Chris Woakes) and two spinners (Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali).

Ali will bat at No 4 while Jos Buttler retains his spot at No 7 where he will be given licence to attack.

First-innings runs

There hasn't been a Test at the Wankhede Stadium since 2013. West Indies were beaten by innings in that game after being rolled for 182. The first-innings scores in the last five read: 182-327-590-400-104. The wicket is expected to be fair for batsmen and bowlers. It should turn as the game goes on but this is unlikely to be a Bunsen burner.

Match odds

India are 1.625/8 with England 5.39/2 and the draw is 4.94/1. Faith in the tourists is in short supply considering they have twice won the toss, batted first and failed to take advantage.

In Mohali they had a golden opportunity to put India under pressure but their batting failed. And when they had the hosts under the pump at 156 for 5 they let them escape to 417. The bottom line is that England have won very few sessions in this series.

They have, however, won on their last two visits to this ground - in 2006 and 2012. The latter was on a turning track too when Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann wrecked India.

Is that relevant? Possibly not because the surface is not expected to be as spin-friendly. Not to mention that England do not possess the quality of spinners as Monty and Swann.

It is hard to see them claiming a scalp here and they may need the series to be over for India to become disinterested enough to lose focus.

Top India runscorer

Nair will feel right at home. He walloped 328 - the fourth highest score at the ground - for Karnataka last year. Chet Pujara has a fine record there in Tests with 254 runs in two innings. Nair is 8.27/1 and Pujara 4.84/1. The pair are 2.111/10 for a first-innings fifty. Virat Kohli is 3.814/5 for top honours and 1.9110/11 for a fifty.

Top England runscorer

Cook hit 122 in that famous Mumbai win in 2012 so looks a fair bet at 4.94/1. Joe Root has jolly status at 3.953/1. Jennings gets a 7.87/1 quote. Cook is 2.186/5 for a first-innings fifty.

Recommended Bet

India at 1.618/13

Ed Hawkins P-L

2016: +114.62
2015: +£380.50
2014: +315.10
2013: +250.80

To £10 level stakes (unless otherwise stated), based only on available prices. Does not include back-to-lay in-running match advice or commission rate.

*Follow Ed on Twitter @cricketbetting