India vs England Match Prediction: Who will win the 5th Test?

The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy has been a wonderfully thrilling series between two enterprising teams, both on and off the field. Spectacular performances within the boundary ropes and controversies on either side of them have dominated the headlines, as one would expect from a high-profile Test series.

In no surprise to anyone, the rubber has come down to the final Test. After a sequence of Tests decided in the final session of the final day, the fifth encounter of the grueling series will be the decisive one. The Oval in London is gearing up for the contest, with the scoreline currently being 2-1 in England's favor.

The hosts have had to make a number of changes to their playing XI. Ben Stokes misses out with a shoulder niggle, with Ollie Pope stepping in as captain. Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse have made way for Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson, while England have decided to play a fourth quick in the form of Jamie Overton at Liam Dawson's expense.

India have been coy regarding their combination, but they too will need to make a few changes. Rishabh Pant has been ruled out and will be, in all likelihood, replaced by Dhruv Jurel. Shubman Gill refused to shed light on Jasprit Bumrah's participation, but given the short turnaround time between the two Tests, the ace spearhead might be better off on the bench.

All in all, irrespective of the personnel, a gripping conclusion to what has been a memorable Test series is on the cards.

India's squad for the Test series vs England: Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, N Jagadeesan.

England's playing XI for the fourth Test vs India: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wk), Jamie Overton, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue.

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England & India Net Sessions - Source: Getty

England's playing XI doesn't inspire much confidence without Stokes, who has been their best pacer on display in the series. There isn't much wicket-taking threat outside Atkinson, who is just recovering from a relatively serious injury. Woakes has been off color, while Tongue and Overton are hit-and-miss options.

The hosts are likely to dish out a flatter track than one would usually expect at The Oval, given where the series is placed. A draw would suit England perfectly, and risking a loss on a green top doesn't seem too wise. Moreover, without Stokes and a number of key bowlers, Brendon McCullum and the think tank might want to err on the side of caution.

Without taking that into consideration, India are arguably better placed ahead of the fifth Test. Bumrah's absence will be a major problem to deal with, but the batting unit has stepped up in some fashion. With a couple of fresh fast bowlers expected to enter the fray, the visitors might just have enough to make one final push even without their superstar fast bowler.

This is a tough one to call as it hinges heavily on the combination India are going to play, as well as the conditions at The Oval. Both are relative unknowns, making a prediction difficult. However, on paper, India might just have more bases covered following England's playing XI announcement.

Prediction: India to win the 5th Test vs England.