India’s long-awaited tour to England will kick off with the opening game of the five-Test series at Trent Bridge. Ahead of the series, several notable names in the cricketing world have predicted the outcome of the series.
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India haven’t won a Test series in England since 2007, managing just two wins in the last decade in the country. The team has been in UK since June, first in preparation for the World Test Championship final, which they lost to New Zealand, and then for the five-Test series that will run until September.
Here’s what the experts are predicting as final scoreline for the Kohli v Root battle.
Michael Vaughan
Prediction: 3-1 India
The former England captain has put his money on India to emerge victors, especially with England feeling the pinch with the absence of top stars, including Ben Stokes.
“I know I get a few [predictions] right and a few wrong. But, no Ben Stokes, the fact that New Zealand beat this team in the UK just recently, India will win this series,” Vaughan told Cricbuzz. “It is the best chance that they’ll have…”
Vaughan had to face criticism for predicting the outcome of the Australia-India Test series 4-0 in Australia’s favour, saying that India left him with an “egg on his face” after India ended up winning the series 2-1.
Sunil Gavaskar
Prediction: 4-0 India/3-1 India
Gavaskar has made a prediction “contingent to the weather”, saying that he left England “ten days ago and the weather was absolutely brilliant”. He added that England are a very depleted side, and their series against New Zealand showed that their batting was “brittle”.
“I am being told it is raining a little bit,” Gavaskar told the Hindu. “If the hot conditions are there for 22 out of possible 25 days, then I think India will win 4-0. In case you have a situation where the weather is going to be a factor, then I think India will win 3-1.”
Graeme Swann
Prediction: 3-1 India/2-2 drawn
Swann feels that England are short in the spin department, which will have a role to play later in the summer in England, adding that he felt that India were better placed on the batting front. He also expects one of the matches to be drawn due to rain.
“After watching England play New Zealand, and then New Zealand play India, I think India is in a better place batting-wise. Bowling, they are similar so I am going to say 3-1 to India,” Graeme Swann told Sportskeeda. “Oh, or should I say 2-2?”
Alastair Cook
Prediction: 3-1 England
Cook feels that the equation has changed considerably with Ben Stokes’ absence, but added that India’s prolonged stay inside a bio-bubble (they arrived in the UK in June) could make it hard for Virat Kohli andhis team.
“Given the moving ball, England will always fancy their chances against this India batting line-up,” Cook told the BBC. “I think England will score just enough runs and win the series, with one of the Tests heavily affected by rain.”
Rahul Dravid
Prediction: 3-2 India
Dravid, the last Indian captain to win a Test series in England, predicted a tight scoreline in India’s favour, but his forecast came in May, with team equations and form changing since.
“A couple of players have been to England a few times,” Dravid said in a webinar, “there’s a lot of experience in the batting order this time around, so this is probably our best chance, maybe say 3-2 to India.”
