England struggle against India's wall of runs

Leaving aside the shortcomings of their bowlers, it's hard to know what more England could have done to stay competitive in their three-match ODI series in India.

Consecutive scores of 350-plus - the first a target and the second a chase - were insufficient to stave off the advances of India's turbo-charged hitters, and as a consequence the odd-setters at Bet365 fully anticipate a 3-0 whitewash.

India are 1/2 to complete victory in the third ODI, with England a rather more distant 13/8. Virat Kohli was a rare failure at Cuttack but such is the quality of his current form, he remains the strong favourite at 9/4 to top-score in the final rubber. But what of Yuvraj Singh, fresh from his first ODI hundred in six years? At 6/1, is he worth another punt?

England came unexpectedly close in that match to hunting down a massive target of 382 - thanks largely to their captain, Eoin Morgan, who has rediscovered his best form after a relatively fallow 2016, and produced a magnificent eighth ODI hundred to take his team to within 15 runs of victory. He is 5/1 to repeat his top-scoring, with the in-form Joe Root leading the pack at 5/2.

England's bowlers are harder to pin down. They've had their moments against India's top-order, particularly Chris Woakes at Cuttack, but they've twice conceded 200-plus stands to derail their advances. Adil Rashid, who was taken out of the firing line at Cuttack, remains the favourite to be England's leading wicket-taker. His legspin does have a knack of creating chances, even if he goes for runs. But, in the circumstances, England can't really afford to overlook that former trait.