England vs India third Test predictions, tips and odds: England could find themselves in Deep trouble

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India to win the third Test
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Akash Deep top India first-innings wicket-taker
2pts 4-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

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England vs India third Test odds

Here are the latest odds for the second Test between England and India which starts at Lord's on Thursday, July 9

Odds correct at time of publication

England vs India third Test prediction

Despite not even playing in last week's second Test defeat, Jofra Archer was the name on everyone's lip at Edgbaston.

England decided against pressing the 2019 World Cup hero into Test action for the first time in over four years in Birmingham, but, 1,597 days after his last run out in England whites, Archer will return to face India in the third Test of the summer at Lord's.

Archer's inclusion is as much out of necessity as anything else. England need to get Archer up to speed with the Ashes now only four months away and injuries to Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson, who was called up the squad ahead of the third Test but not included, have left England's bowling stock somewhat bare.

And there was a real need for Ben Stokes to freshen his attack up following the first two matches of the series which have seen England bowl 443 overs and concede 1,849 runs.

The wickets at Headingley and Edgbaston have admittedly suited batsmen, especially last week, but the general lack of potency from England's attack has been concerning with the winter trip to Australia at the forefront of their minds.

While England's bowlers toiled in Birmingham, India captain Shubman Gill, who compiled majestic knocks of 269 and 161 to go with a chanceless 147 in Leeds, will have been buoyed by his side's efforts with the ball in the absence of star seamer Jasprit Bumrah.

Akash Deep took ten wickets in the match and Mohammed Siraj seven as only Jamie Smith, who scored 184 not out and 88, and Harry Brook (158 in the first innings) offered any real resistance.

India's already gaping 336-run winning margin could easily have been even bigger were it not for that pair, and Bumrah is set to return to make life even more difficult at Lord's for England's batters.

Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have asked the Lord's groundstaff for a pitch with "plenty of life in it" and the wicket for last month's World Test Championship between Australia and South Africa was certainly much livelier than what this series has been played out on so far.

All but three of the 35 wickets to fall in the match were taken by seamers and while it should make England's attack more potent, it will only do likewise for India, especially with Bumrah back in business.

A seam unit of Bumrah, Siraj and Deep will be a fearsome prospect on a helpful surface and they will have fond memories of their last visit to Lord's four years ago, when they bowled England out for 120 on the final day to claim a dramatic victory. 

Siraj took four wickets in each innings and Bumrah three on that occasion, but it is Deep who could do the damage this time around.

The 28-year-old's unerring line and length was a feature of his ten-wicket display at Edgbaston and the Lord's slope tends to reward bowlers who are on the money more often than not. 

Deep naturally seams the ball into right-handers, so the slope will only exaggerate that if he bowls from the Pavilion End, and he should prove a real handful to England, who have only two left-handed batsmen, Ben Duckett and Stokes, in their ranks.

The weather is set fair so the draw seems a highly unlikely scenario given England's instincts, and they may be in deep trouble of going 2-1 behind if India's seamers get on top.

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England vs India third Test team news

England

Jofra Archer will play his first Test in over four years after being named in England's 11 at Lord's. Josh Tongue makes way for the 30-year-old.

India

Jasprit Bumrah is set to return after missing the win at Edgbaston, most likely in place of Prasidh Krishna. Sai Sudharsan was dropped last week but may return in place of Karun Nair or Nitish Kumar.

England vs India second Test weather

Day one: Sunny, 30C
Day two: Sunny, 30C
Day three: Sunny, 29C
Day four: Sunny, 29C
Day five: Sunny, 30C

England vs India FAQ

How many Test matches will England and India play this summer?

England and India are two matches into a five-Test series which began in Leeds in June and will end at The Oval in south London at the start of August.

Who won the second Test between England and India?

After losing the first Test at Headingley by five wickets, India claimed their first ever victory at Edgbaston in the second Test with a 336-run success.

Who is the leading runscorer in the series?

India captain Shubman Gill is leading the way with the bat after two Test matches thanks to three centuries in four innings. Gill has scored 585 runs in the first two matches, 229 more than the next highest runscorer, England's Jamie Smith.

Who is the leading wicket-taker in the series?

England seamer Josh Tongue has taken 11 wickets in the first two Tests but has been left out of the third match of the summer at Lord's. India's Akash Deep, despite only playing one match, is just one wicket behind Tongue.

Read more from our experts: 

England's devotion to Archer is undeniable – but it may take time for us to fall back in love 

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