England were rescued by the weather in the first Test against India and skipper Joe Root has called for a big batting improvement when the two sides meet at Lord’s this week in the second instalment of the five-match series.
India looked all set to clinch victory at Trent Bridge before rain washed out the final day on Sunday and the hosts managed to secure an unlikely draw.
Root Issues Rallying Cry
In the aftermath, Root admitted “we want to score more runs at the top of the order” while also hinting his side need to rediscover the enjoyment in their game at Test level, reminding his team-mates that “it’s great fun batting and scoring runs and we need to keep remembering that”.
India looked assured and were the better side in the first Test so the 29/20 on offer for the tourists to win at the home of cricket appeals.
With the bat, KL Rahul shone with 84 in the first innings, while he was ably assisted by Ravindra Jadeja’s 56 as the visitors scored 278 all out, having dismissed England for 183.
Rahul is a tempting 9/2 to top-score again for India in their opening innings as they aim to take advantage of an England side that looks disjointed and, aside from Root, is clearly lacking in confidence.
Root led by example in Nottingham with his stand-out 109 in the second innings which, combined with the wet weather intervention, was enough in the end for the home side to claim a share of the spoils, but he will need help at Lord’s if England are to secure a win, available at 6/5.
Curran Could Step Up
The skipper is unsurprisingly 9/5 favourite to be England’s top-scorer in the first innings and that seems a wise selection once again after he registered the highest scores in both innings in the first Test.
For more value, though, it might pay to look further down the order. As Root has identified, the likes of Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley and Zak Crawley are struggling for runs so it might be time for someone like Ollie Pope (13/2 – Top England first innings batsman) or Sam Curran to step up.
Of those two, Curran is tempting to side with in that market at 20/1 after he hit 27 not out and then 32 at Trent Bridge.
Moeen Returns
England have recalled all-rounder Moeen Ali after he starred in the Hundred for Birmingham Pheonix on Monday, while Ollie Pope hopes to be fit following a thigh injury.
Haseeb Hameed is being tipped for a place in the side, with Sibley looking the most vulnerable of the top three to drop out.
Mayank Agarwal is expected to be available after recovering from concussion for India.
*All odds correct at time of writing.