India a big price for whitewash

The two-Test series between India and England is to go ahead as planned, give or take, despite the recent atrocities in Mumbai, which is good news all round. However, India hold all the aces and, now at 2-1 to win it 2-0, they are screaming out to be backed.

While India will want to show the world that cricket, their country and sport in general, should not be affected by such events, and put on a real show, England must be all over the place, one moment considering staying at home and the next getting on a plane.

Some of them will cope well, but others will struggle. I fear for Steve Harmison and to a lesser extent Andrew Flintoff, who both were reported to be doubtful about the wisdom of going back out there. Will they be able to focus enough on their cricket?

Kevin Pietersen would have had a tough job on his hands even before the events of last month. Remember, India thumped them 5-0 in the one-day series (before the last two matches were cancelled) and are coming off a superb victory over Australia in the Test series.

The retirement of Sourav Ganguly creates a hole in the middle order, but it could be the ideal opportiunity for Yuvraj Singh to finally cement his place in the Test side. India have coped with the loss of Anil Kumble, it seems, so they should be able to manage without Ganguly - even if both men were stars for their country over a decade.

The simple fact is that India would have been big favourites anyway, so now that England have been going through days of "should we go, should we stay", I can only think that India now hold absolutely all of the aces, bar, perhaps, Pietersen himself.

Bet365 make India now 4/9 (from 1/2) to win the series and that still has to be taken. England will have no time to acclimatise before the first Test begins on Thursday, and though they were only in India a couple of weeks ago, it will be incredibly tough for them.

A 1-0 win for India is the favourite in the correct score markets, now at just 11/8, but I don't see why India won't win both matches, which looks hugely tempting at 2/1, the longest price it has been. Providing the weather does not ruin things, they have to be backed.

The past three Tests in Chennai, venue for the first Test, have been draws, but India have not lost there this century and in fact have lost there just once since 1985, when England were the victors in their famous series win under David Gower.

In Mohali, they have lost just once, back in 1994, they beat Australia there just six weeks ago and triumphed against England there in 2006.

Cambers' Call - already advised
India to win the Test series against England - 1/2 bet365
India to win the Test series against England 2-0 - 11/5 bet365