England vs India, ENG vs IND, Today Match Prediction
England vs India, ENG vs IND, Today Match Prediction
𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 : England vs India
𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 :July 31,Thursday
𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 :15:30 PM (IST)
𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐄 : Kennington Oval, London, United Kingdom
𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 : 5th Test, 2025
The last time England played a Test at the Kennington Oval, they were beaten by Sri Lanka by eight wickets in September 2024.
- India have won only two of the 15 Tests they have played at the Oval.
- Shubman Gill and KL Rahul will be pivotal to India’s chances. If they do well again, the visitors will have a strong chance.
- The team batting first will eye a score of around 350 at least to stay in the Test.
ENG vs IND Match Prediction & Analysis
India take on England in the fifth and final Test of the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy at the Kennington Oval, starting Thursday. The series is delicately placed at 2-1 in England’s favor, and the decider carries plenty of weight. The hosts have a chance to seal the series at home and should feel confident about their position. That said, India have shown before they can rise to the occasion in these conditions and won’t step aside without a fight.
TEAMS PREVIEW
England Preview
England are ahead 2-1 in the series after wins at Headingley and Lord’s, though they’ll feel let down by the missed opportunity in the fourth Test at Manchester, which ended in a draw. They had control for most of the match but couldn’t close it out on the final day, with the bowling unit unable to apply enough pressure.
The batting lineup has been reliable, with the main contributors stepping up. Jamie Smith has easily been their most valuable player, piling up 424 runs in seven innings down the order, averaging 85. His runs have helped them recover from tight spots more than once.
Joe Root has anchored the middle order well, scoring 403 runs at 67.16. He and Harry Brook have been central to the side’s stability, and how they go in this match could shape the result.
Up top, Ben Duckett has scored quickly, keeping the scoreboard moving. Zak Crawley, after a few lean games, made a solid return in the last Test with a fluent 84.
In the bowling department, Ben Stokes has delivered the key breakthroughs, picking up 17 wickets and stepping up at important times. Brydon Carse has kept things tight, while Jofra Archer has bowled with good pace, giving the attack some edge in these conditions. Jamie Overton has been brought into the squad for this match and might come in for Chris Woakes, who has played all four and looks a bit spent.
India Preview
India will be pleased to walk away with a draw in the fourth Test after spending most of the match under pressure. After England posted a towering 669, India found themselves at 0-2 early on day four. But their batters dug in, with KL Rahul (90), Shubman Gill (103), Ravindra Jadeja (107 not out), and Washington Sundar (101 not out) lifting the total to 425 for four. That fightback helped secure a draw.
The visitors will look to build on that effort and head into the final match aiming to level the series with another strong outing.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul are expected to open again. Both have handled the new ball with assurance so far. Rahul in particular has been brilliant, scoring 511 runs from eight innings at an average of 64.
Captain Shubman Gill has been in outstanding touch, scoring 722 runs in eight innings with an average of 101.6. For India to get back in this series, Gill and Rahul will need to deliver again, especially with Rishabh Pant ruled out due to injury.
Dhruv Jurel is set to take Pant’s spot behind the stumps. He’ll be expected to contribute with the bat alongside Jadeja and Sundar, who have stepped up in pressure moments.
According to reports, Anshul Kamboj—who made his debut in Manchester—may be replaced by Akash Deep, now fit again. Jasprit Bumrah might be rested for this Test, which could open the door for left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh. Kuldeep Yadav might also come in, possibly replacing Shardul Thakur, as the pitch could favour spin.
Mohammed Siraj will again lead the pace attack. He tends to enjoy the extra responsibility that comes with leading the bowling unit.
Weather Conditions
The surface at Kennington Oval tends to flatten out by day two and three, giving batters a good chance to build innings. Early movement with the new ball makes batting tricky on the first morning, but conditions usually settle quickly. Spinners come into play later as cracks widen and the bounce becomes uneven. Fast bowlers who stay patient can still find rewards throughout.
The weather in London will be cloudy on the first day of the Test, with chances of showers in the afternoon. Post that, though, it will be partly cloudy, although we might see some rain on the fourth day.
ENG vs IND Pitch Report
The average score batting first at Kennington Oval is 345. A solid first-inning score matters a lot here, as the average score in the fourth innings comes down to just 210. So, the team batting first will look to post a total in the range of 350-400 runs.
Toss: To Bat
Toss often leans toward batting first at Kennington Oval unless heavy cloud cover is around.
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