Australia vs India
Two of world cricket’s ‘Big Three’ are set go head-to-head in the five-day game, starting in Adelaide for the First Test Australia vs India.
This is a tumultuous time in Australian cricket, the most dramatic of years which has seen their two best players banned for cheating. The absence of Steve Smith and David Warner has dumped Darren Lehmann’s side into a state of limbo, and the head coach has a real task on his hands to inspire his Green Baggies to a huge effort to take on the best team in the world.
Ravi Shastri’s India top the ICC Test rankings, just ahead of England, while Australia sit in fifth, so you’d have to say this is a great chance for India to exert their superiority. The Aussies love their sport, and they love winning even more, so the depleted hosts will do everything in their strength to put up a proper fight.
India skipper Virat Kohli tops the ICC Test batting list, but Smith and Warner are still tellingly at second and fifth. And while the Australian cricket authorities wrestle with their consciences and decide whether to shorten the bans for the disgraced duo, India can concentrate on the task in hand.
Australia vs India results have slightly favoured Kohli’s team over the last three years, and the great captain can sense a first Indian test series victory on Australian soil.
Talking Points
India are on a mission
A 4-1 drubbing at the hands of England in the summer will still rankle with the India side, and Virat Kohli is a man with a mission: his point is to prove that India are the best team on the planet, and winning in Australia would give him a strong argument.
With the T20 series done and dusted in a 1-1 draw, Kohli can now concentrate on the long game. He has a settled side with a powerful batting line-up and fierce bowling attack at his disposal, while India’s fielding is the most improved part of their game.
Alongside Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara has been in fine batting form and displayed his steely concentration with a battling century in the fourth test in England in summer. And with a pace attack spearheaded by the pinpoint accuracy of Mohammed Shami and rapid speed of Jasprit Bumrah, the tourists are bound to cause Australia problems. Meanwhile, the spinning wiles of Ravi Ashwin or all-rounder Ravi Jadeja can tie any batsman in knots.
Can Aussie quicks rattle Kohli and Co?
Kohli is indisputably the best batter in the game and he has great support from one to eight, so the Australian attack needs to be at its best if the hosts are to stay in this series. Left-arm opening bowler Mitchell Starc can be devastating at his best. And with Pat Cummins able to bowl at break-neck speed, these two will try to give the tourists the hurry up.
Josh Hazelwood is a highly capable seamer, and Nathan Lyon holds the Australian record for the most wickets taken by an off-spinner in test cricket.
In the absence of Warner, the role of hard-hitting opener could fall to white ball specialist Aaron Finch, who recently made an impressive test debut in the UAE by plundering two fifties.
History
Australia had the best of this historic battle with 41 wins to India’s 26 and have never lost a series on home soil in the 11 previous Indian tours.
But the tide has turned a little in recent years. In all formats of the game the two sides have met 25 times since 2015, India have edged the wins by 13 to 11, including the last test series back in 2017 by 2-1.
India won the last T20 on this current tour, by six wickets, as Kohli brilliantly masterminded a successful run chase, scoring 61 in a beautifully crafted 41-ball inning.
Betting Tip
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Australia vs India | Draw No Bet @ 2.00 |
| December 6, 08:00(GMT+8) |
o line-ups, the hosts are slight favourites to win this first test in Adelaide. Australia vs India betting odds at SBOBET pitch the Aussies at 2.15 to come out on top, with India at 2.30 and the draw 4.50.
Home advantage is crucial, of course, and India teams haven’t always been good travellers. But the tourists don’t have too many weaknesses, while the hosts are still without their biggest weapons. I think that will make the difference.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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