England v India (Fourth Test Preview)

It’s absolutely brilliant to see England at the top of the world rankings but given the feet on the ground management styles of both Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss I don’t think that any of them would have imagined that they’d ever whitewash India 4-0 to take that spot, but it’s a distinct possibility that they could leave India without a Test win in the series when the two face each – other at the Oval.

The incredible thing is that instead of closing (as has occurred with every other International Tour that India have taken) the gap between the two sides has increased at some rate - 196 runs, 319 runs and then by an innings and 242 runs, condemning India to losing 3 tests in a series for the first time since 1999 and MS Dohni to his first series loss of any kind.

Many esteemed commentators have said that this could be one of the best England line ups of recent years, with the “dream seam” (yes, I did make that up all by myself) of Broad, Anderson (who have led the way with 39 wickets between them) and a constantly rotating trio of Tremlett, Bresnan, or Finn with the likes of Graham Onions also on standby.

There have been some doubts over the fitness of James Anderson after he experienced tightness in his right quadriceps in the aftermath of the team's innings-and-242-run victory at Edgbaston on Sunday but the camp seem confident he can make it and his absence is little more than a hiccup.

While we can’t heap enough praise on the bowlers, the batsmen have excelled with a 710 total being spearheaded by a  superb 294 from the Ashes hero Alastair Cook and skipper Andrew Strauss’s return to form – While the middle order of Bell, Pietersen and Morgan have all been in decent form.

With the stock of James Taylor rising by the minute for the England Lions, having made yet another Century on Tuesday to add to knocks of 76 and 98 in the Four day game against Sri Lanka A some will question the under fire Ravi Bopara retaining his place but it’s more than appropriate with the series all wrapped up.

India still haven't reached a total of 300 in any one innings in the series while Rahul Dravid remains the only Indian batsman to score a century on this tour, which shows just how good the English bowlers have been, but also how poor some of the Indian batting is in this series – The Indian batting line up in the third test was the strongest one they have on offer at present, but it still wasn’t able to last even 3 sessions in either innings.

Of the bowlers, Seamers Sharma and Shreesanth have only shown patches of proper ability in conditions that should have suited, leaving Praveen Kumar to take up the slack and if there’s one positive for India out of this innings, it’s him.  But that may not be enough to turn around the gap and despite a poor weather forecast the hosts are the bet to send India home with a first test loss against England in .

Advice

4 pts England (13/10 Stan James)