Bookies’ Cricket Odds Swing Away From England In India

How do you know it’s winter? England are losing at Cricket in a foreign country. This time it’s India’s turn to slap the sadly under par tourists who are already 2-0 down in a five game series and in the fourth test will have to battle not just the heat in Mumbai but also the odds as Bet365 and co hand the advantage squarely to the home team.

Obviously if you like to bet on sports in India you’ll probably prefer to wager your hard earned cash on the hugely more exciting Kabaddi, a sport without equal on planet earth, but for the traditionalists among you there will inevitably be a tendency towards the really quite attractive cricket odds being offered on India beating England in Mumbai in this the fourth test of the tourists’ visit. Two nil up the Indians are rightfully confident, and England obviously scrambling to right their floundering team.

Haseeb Hameed, one of England’s openers is out with a busted hand, for which he required surgery, leaving Keaton Jennings to become the 11th partner mainstay Alistair Cook has had in just five years opening the batting for his country. Sounding like everyone’s comedy South African impression Jennings claims he feels “very English”, something for which many would suggest he seek medical attention every bit as rapidly as Haseeb had for his hands, which are part of the reason for England’s dismal cricket odds this winter.

Fourth Test Odds At Bet365 Reflect England’s Woes

That said, mirroring Hameed, the Indian mid-order Ajinkya Rahane is also out with a hand injury and Manish Pandey, uncapped but with a ODI record, has been brought in to replace him and should do well, unlike the middle order in the other dressing room which has looked distinctly bereft of late (and of talent) which might be momentarily buoyed by doubts over Mohammed Shami and his knee, but given their recent luck in cricket odds are that won’t last and no Indian gambling laws of good fortune will swing against them is likely to be betting at all.

Fourth Test in India

• India – 4/7
• England – 4/1
• Draw – 15/4

The bookies have England out at 4/1, which frankly, given their performances thus far is distinctly generous. India have completely dominated them, save for a brief spell in the first test, and are quite rightly rated by Bet365 as favorites to take the match, at a healthy (for cricket odds) 4/7 and a slightly silly (I blame over exuberance) 1/100 to win the series. You can get a draw on the match at around 15/4, but honestly, why bother, England are going to get battered trying to work who should be in the team, as India demolish them.

Better Bets Beneath The Headlines

Of course any Indian gambling news next week will be of a home-side win won’t be winning much at those odds, so a quick look at some of the other markets for cricket odds that bookies like Bet365 lay on might be in order and there are some great bets beyond the winners and losers. Virat Kohli is a good 9/4 bet on being top Indian batsman, although Cheteshwar Pujara at 7/2 is cutting him close, and for England it’s Rashid at 5/2 to be the best bowler on side that edges out a bet on Moeen Ali at 7/2 as well.

Series Winners Winter 2016

• India – 1/100
• England – 22/1
• Draw – 25/1

Bet365’s cricket odds of anyone scoring a century are quite low, the pitches haven’t really been showing the stance for that, at 3/11 with 13/5 against, and bookies like Bet365 are giving interesting odds on who gets the most in their first over, with India just ahead on 5/4 of England who are at 11/8 although, the canny bet will probably be the 10/3 shot of them both coming out equally cagey at the start of a match that I even bet in Mozambique fans are awaiting once more to laugh at the English wasting a winter losing at one of their national sports.