England still Champions Trophy favourites despite India loss

Despite the indignity of last week's stunning meltdown in the third ODI against India, England's cricketers remain slender favourites to end one of the longest trophy droughts in world cricket and lift their first piece of 50-over global silverware, when the ICC Champions Trophy gets underway in June.

It wasn't, admittedly, the ideal finish to a tough tour, as England lost their last eight wickets for eight runs in 19 deliveries at Bangalore to slump to a 2-1 series loss. However, England in early summer is deemed by the odds-setters at Bet365 to be an entirely different prospect to the spin- and bat-dominated subcontinent.

At 11/4, Eoin Morgan's men are a nose ahead of Australia (7/2) in the pre-tournament stakes, while South Africa - another team with a famously flimsy record at the main global events - are currently 4/1. Given that they routed Australia 5-0 late last year and are on the brink of doing likewise to Sri Lanka, they might yet be a sound bet.

India, meanwhile, are a less-than-generous 5/1 - a reflection, no doubt, of their traditional struggles against the moving ball, not to mention the change in team balance that they will require to accommodate more heavy artillery in their seam attack.

Nevertheless, legspinners have been known to play major roles in England in previous world events - witness Shane Warne's antics at the 1999 World Cup - and given the incredible success of Vuzvendra Chahal, whose 6 for 25 was instrumental in the England rout, don't discount their chances of adapting to the requirements. They are, after all, the Champions Trophy holders, after beating none other than England at Edgbaston in 2013.