It’s been a series to remember for Virat Kohli and he will be keen to lead India to another crushing victory when they take on England who are out to restore some confidence in the final Test at Chennai. Join The Roar for live scores of Day 1 from 3pm (AEDT).
India have been dominant this series, taking a 3-0 lead through the first four matches with only a draw in Visakhapatnam preventing them from being in with a chance at the whitewash.
Virat Kohli has been absolutely brilliant for the Indian side, leading them through and pulling their batting out of some sticky situations, rising to the fore with a stunning 235 in Mumbai to help India in taking an innings victory.
England have been completely hapless to stop him and Cheteshwar Pujara for the most part, although Murali Vijay and Jayant Yadav, picked for his bowling did a brilliant job keeping the scoreboard ticking in the last match.
For the tourists, their bowling has been poor with spinners unable to make the breakthroughs required. Adil Rashid has looked out of his depth, and that’s put pressure on others with all-rounder Moeen Ali bowling more than 50 overs in India’s solitary innings in the fourth Test.
On the other side of the coin though, India’s spinners, led by Ravichandran Aswhin and Ravindra Jadeja have been absolutely sensational, picking up wickets almost at will and limiting England’s batsmen, who have crumbled under pressure.
In fact, Ashwin has picked up 27 wickets at 23.7 for the series and when you take into account the first match was a run fest, those numbers could be a lot better.
Prediction
India have been the dominant team all series and despite it being a dead rubber to finish things off, it should be expected they will have the same attitude as they did when polishing off the Kiwis.
Despite India dominating, there are still questions about their batting and with Australia touring in February, they will be keen to sort some of those issues out and have others come into form.
The toss, as it has in every other match this series will have a large weight in the way the game plays out, but at the end of the day it seems like it’s only going to decide the margin of victory for India.
England simply haven’t had the ability to put up enough runs batting first, or batted well enough to stay in the contest batting second.
Dead rubbers might throw up plenty of differing results, but this doesn’t feel like one of them.
India to win comfortably.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of the first day’s play of this final Test in Chennai from 3pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
This was a live chat yesterday with Jason Gillespie on The Roar. http://www.theroar.com.au/2016/12/13/roar-live-get-questions-jason-dizzy-gillespie-glenn-mitchell/
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
oh, where was this
Tycoch
Guest
India have not been dominant all series. Yes they are the better team and up 3 zip but England had the better of the drawn 1st Test
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Did you see the Roar chat with Dizzy Gillespie? If you haven't go there. I asked a question on the Root v Kohli v Smith v Williamson issue and who he would like to bowl to the least. Interesting reply. It's at the 13.5 minute mark roughly.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
He gets out too much in the 50-100 range, Root And with the debate raging over who is the best it has to go against him. Even in this series, 5 scores over 50 but only one hundred has had a huge bearing on England's batting
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
I cannot see what india gains by playing Mishra, but they would if they played a youngster like Kuldeep his style of bowling ( over the wrist ) can translate anywhere in the globe
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Yes it's quite incredible. Or Chahal who I quite like although he needs to show he can succeed beyond the short version. One one way to find out.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
his dropping changed the series in India's favour I cannot believe they didnt give Kuldeep Yadav a test
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Amit Mishra is about the most brainless leg spinner playing test cricket today.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
close enough Tim. You jinxed him for sure :)
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Hate dead rubbers with them allowing players to get cheapies that too many pay attention too root will probably get a double ton here 9 you watch him get out first ball after lunch now that I have mozzed him ) and all will bang on about it without pointing to the times in the sweries where he should have gone on for a huge score like some of the indians have
Tim
Guest
Cook has certasinly become Jadeja's bunny robbing England of its main batting weapon in Asia