England vs India 2018: 3 reasons why England will defeat India in the 3rd Test

The five-match Test series between England and India was supposed to be the most evenly contested series in the recent times. England are always a tough team to beat in their home conditions. On the other hand, Virat Kohli’s men entered the series as the no.1 ranked Test nation.

As expected, the first Test match at Edgbaston lived up to the hypes. Both teams fought hard until the end, as England snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. The first game was supposed to be the blueprint for the rest of the series.

However, the hosts thrashed the visitors in the second game at Lord’s. Indian batsmen meekly surrendered to James Anderson & Co. With England leading the series 2-0, the series-deciding third game will begin on Saturday.

Ahead of this crucial fixture, let us look at three reasons why England will defeat India at Trent Bridge.

---

#3 Momentum

England carried their momentum from the ODI series

‘Momentum’ is a common term that will be uttered by all the captains before the start of any series. Irrespective of the format, momentum always plays a huge role in deciding the outcome of the game. In particular, this golden word ‘momentum’ is very crucial in long tours like the Ashes, India's tour of South Africa 2017-18, as well as this current tour of England.

When India finally found their perfect combination and defeated South Africa in the 3rd Test match at the beginning of this year, they finally got the much-needed momentum on their side. With that, they destroyed the Proteas in both the limited overs series, as they won the ODI series 5-1 and T20I series 2-1.

Similarly, Joe Root’s two consecutive tons in the final two ODIs sealed the series for the hosts and ensured that the momentum was with the hosts ahead of the long-awaited Test series. Though England fought hard for the victory in the first Test, they crushed the visitors in the second game. As a result, England will travel to Trent Bridge for the 3rd Test with the momentum entirely resting on their side.

#2 Settled lineup

England squad seems settled when compared to the opposition camp

It is a well-known fact that Virat Kohli has not fielded the same playing XI for two consecutive Test matches in his 37 games as the captain of the Indian cricket team. Injuries, playing conditions, form, opposition lineup, and so many reasons were behind this decision.

In the ongoing series, Cheteshwar Pujara was dropped for the first Test. In the second game, Shikhar Dhawan and Umesh Yadav were replaced by Pujara and Kuldeep Yadav. Now, after a horror showing at Lord’s, more changes are expected for the upcoming third game.

On the other hand, the England squad looks settled. Ben Stokes' replacement in the second Test was a forced one. However, Stokes absence was never felt as, Chris Woakes did a fabulous job with both the bat and ball. Dawid Malan was dropped for the second game after a continuous run of poor scores. His replacement, Ollie Pope, showed the glimpses of his potential in his short stay in the crease during the second game.

As expected, England retained the same squad for the third game. As a bonus, Ben Stokes was added to the team after being cleared of affray charges.

#1 Return of Ben Stokes

England will enter into the third Test match as heavy favourites with the return of Stokes

The infamous Bristol incident forced the selectors to drop Stokes for the Ashes 2017-18. Stokes was deeply missed by the England team (and fans), as they lost the prestigious Urn. If not for the flat Melbourne pitch, then Australia would have easily whitewashed their archrivals.

As relief for the entire England squad, the jury finally found Stokes not guilty of affray. Stokes is a vital cog in the England setup in all the three formats of the game. His performance in the first Test match against India is a testament to his ability.

Though the hosts won the second game without the services of Stokes, his return will further strengthen their lineup. By judging their bowler's current form, it will not be a huge surprise if the hosts enter the third game with an all-out pace attack. Adil Rashid, who neither batted nor bowled in the second game, could lose his place to Stokes. If the spin service is required at any stage, then Root can easily roll his arm over a bit.