5th Test - Is It All One-Way traffic?

5th Test - 15-19 August, 2014, Oval
England Vs India

England
There's aggression, and the right balance within the team. It's not all smooth sailing, in fact a little over confidence could spoil it all for them. It's a side that is generally in-sync and will look to promote their strengths rather than being overly experimental.

1st Innings
An initial batting partnership will be seen – this will provide the right stability especially as weaknesses in the middle order could be exploited by the opposition. Bowling and fielding appears well coordinated and in line, but despite this additional application will be needed.

2nd Innings
It won't be the best start with the bat, but a balanced innings will eventually come together. Bowling and fielding will both be sharp and precise.

The Captain - Alastair Cook
Nervous and overly defensive, Cook will need to be given just a little more confidence in the first half of the game, after which he will push off and get rid of his inhibitions.

India
There are so many pluses to team India's overall performance, but what will let them down is consistency. A push at the end could to wonders in helping them through a tough phase. Better focus and steadiness will be much required.

1st Innings
Batting starts cautiously, but builds well. As the innings progresses they will be seen taking more risks, much required risks. Bowling will be instinctive and effective – holding this till the end will be a challenge. Fielding is sharp and organised.

2nd Innings
It will be quite a battle as the batsman stay level headed and weather many storms. They will put together good partnerships and may even land themselves in a steady position. Trouble rises in consistent bowling and some fielding lapses which could undo their hard work. This is where this game might just become a little toss dependent.

The Captain – Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Dhoni is slow to take off, but he's being watchful, which is the right way to go about it; but this could slow his team down a little too much.

Tarot Advantage
England

Disclaimer: Tarot for this series (England V India) is there to provide a different perspective and is meant for entertainment purposes only.