England vs. India – 5th Test odds & Virat Kohli specials

England – -125 at Bovada
Draw – +500
India – +195

The 2018 Pataudi Trophy series concludes with a swansong for one of Test cricket’s modern greats.

Alastair Cook announced his retirement this week in the midst of a monster slump that has seen him accrue only 109 runs in seven innings.

No matter what happens at The Oval, the long-serving opener and former captain will bow out as England’s all-time greatest runscorer in Test matches.

Cook’s lap of honour may lighten the pressure on his batting partner, Keaton Jennings, who gets another crack despite averaging 19.87 over four Tests.

If none of the opening bats on either side pass 50 in this match, it will be the first time in Test history that neither team’s top two has managed a half-century in a series.

Ollie Pope is back in England’s 13-man squad after missing out at Southampton, while Chris Woakes has recovered from a quad strain and should be available.

That gives the England selectors something of a headache, especially with allrounders Moeen Ali and Sam Curran performing so well at the Rose Bowl.

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For India, this is a chance to salvage some pride and a write a scoreline that more accurately reflects what a tight tussle the series has been.

But for Virat Kohli, this is an opportunity to etch his name into the history books.

India’s skipper is a mere 56 runs away from becoming the second man to score 600 in five separate Test series.

The only other player to pass that mark on more than four occasions is Sir Donald Bradman, who did it six times.

Kohli has found some support from his top order in the past two matches, but it is the output of the tail that has destroyed the tourists.

India’s bottom six have averaged a mere 11.05 runs per innings this series – the second worst figures on record in the nation’s entire cricketing history.

Whispers out of midweek training suggest the visitors could hand a Test debut to Hanuma Vihari, who scores at a tick under 60 in first-class cricket and has impressed in recent outings with India A.

That could see Hardik Pandya benched, while there is also talk of Ravindra Jadeja stepping in for Ravichandran Ashwin.

Virat Kohli betting specials

If you are still not convinced that Virat Kohli is the greatest batsman in world cricket, there is something wrong with you.

The touring captain has notched two centuries and three half-tons for 544 runs this series – more than double the next best, Jos Buttler with 260.

In a low-scoring contest where most batsmen have struggled, those numbers are phenomenal.

You can bank on Kohli notching at least a 50 at The Oval, and there is no better bet for Man of the Match.

England vs. India match tips

It’s an odd thing to say, but the lower-order batters have decided this series.

Whereas India’s tail has all but fallen off, England’s has so often wagged a dying dog back to life.

Curran has amassed 40 or better in five of seven innings at number eight, Woakes stroked a match-turning century in the second Test, and Ali’s runscoring credentials are beyond dispute.

More of that stellar output from the allrounders should be enough for England to make it a 4-1 series victory, regardless of what happens in the upper reaches of the batting order.

England to win – -125 at Bovada

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