After what feels like an absolute eternity, Test cricket finally returns to Australian shores this Thursday as the Aussies take on India in the first of four Tests at Adelaide Oval!
The annual day/night Test has become a highly anticipated fixture in the Australian summer and as usual, we have a full preview and betting tips for the upcoming clash below.
Australia vs India 1st Test Betting Tips
Adelaide Oval, Thursday 17th December 3pm (AEDT)
Australian Squad: Tim Paine (c), Pat Cummins, Joe Burns, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Sean Abbott, Will Pucovski
Indian Squad: Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Mayank Agarwal, Ravi Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravi Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Tiraj, Rishabh Pant, Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Navdeep Saini, Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari, Umesh Yadav
Squad Info
It was a very interesting limited overs schedule between the Australians and Indians, with the Aussies taking the ODI series 2-1 before the tourists fired back with a 2-1 win of their own in the T20s. Those two series were merely curtain raisers for what’s to come, with the Test series set to be a thrilling affair from start to finish, getting underway with the day/night Test in Adelaide on Thursday.
From No.3 onwards, the Australian line-up looks as set as it has in a long time. They have two of the top ranked Test batsmen in the world at the moment in Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne three and four, followed by a damaging middle order of Travis Head, Matthew Wade and Tim Paine. Their four pronged attack of Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins and Lyon will no doubt play in the first Test and makes up the best bowling attack in the world.
The Aussies problem comes at the top of the order. With David Warner and young gun Will Pucovski ruled out through injury and Joe Burns terribly out of form at the moment, the selectors are scrambling for options at the top of the order and at the time of writing, it’s still unknown who will fill either position. Marcus Harris looks the most likely to take one of the spots, with the other up in the air between the likes of Shaun Marsh, Unman Khawaja, Joe Burns or potentially even one of Wade or Labuschagne.
For the Indians, spirits will be high in this first Test as their skipper and the No.2 ranked Test batsman in the world, Virat Kohli, is available for the clash. Kohli will return to India after the Adelaide match for the birth of his first child, and will take no more part in the series.
As they have opted to do so for a while now, India will play Ravi Ashwin at No.7, allowing them to play four more full-time bowlers. Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah will certainly be three of them, with Mohammed Siraj likely getting the remaining spot.
No.3-5 for India have been set in stone for a while now, with Kohli, Cheteshwat Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane three of the top Test batsmen in the world. Rishabh Pant looks the wicket-keeper of choice over Wriddhiman Saha at the moment, but like the Aussies, it’s the opening positions that have been the revolving door for the Indians of late.
Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill will fight for the two spots, with the former two likely to get the first crack in Adelaide.
Match Prediction
What a tough game to call between arguably the two best Test nations in the world at the moment. The white ball series were split, so both sides should have plenty of confidence heading into his match, particularly the Indians, who have their fearless skipper Kohli for just one game.
The toss is super important at Adelaide, it will be crucial to win the toss and bat first on Thursday, giving yourself ample opportunity to bat for a day and a half and then send the opposition in to face that super tricky 20 overs with the new pink ball, under lights on the 2nd day of play.
Without knowing the result of the toss, we are leaning slightly towards Australia here for the simple fact that they rarely lose at home, especially when all four of their star bowlers are fit and raring. After being the best pace bowler in the world for some time, Mitch Starc has come back to the field over the past few years, but when he has a new pink ball in his hand he is elevated back to the top of the pile.
Then there is Steve Smith, who is averaging a ridiculous 73.42 in Test cricket since he returned from the ball tampering suspension and didn’t look like going out white ball cricket, averaging 49.66 over the six ODI’s and T20 games including two centuries. Despite the woes at the opener positions, with Smith at No.3 the Aussies are in good shape.
Australia Player Prop Bet
For all the reasons we mentioned above, you have to like Smith to come out firing in the first innings. The Aussie No.3 has played nine Test matches since returning from the suspension, and he has scored over 1,000 runs including two centuries and one double century.
He has played 10 games and 20 innings in Test cricket against India, and unbelievably, Smith has scored 1429 runs at a ridiculous average of 84.06 including seven centuries. Yep, that’s right, seven centuries in 20 Test innings against India.
Want more? When playing against India in Australia, Smith averages 128.17 and when playing against India at Adelaide Oval, Smith averages 0.00, that’s because he plundered 162* and 52* in his solitary game against India in South Australia.
India Player Prop Bet
Love the look of Mohammed Shami in this pick ball test. The opening bowler has become one of the most reliable in world cricket over the past few years. He got some valuable pink ball experience in the tour match against Australia A, where he claimed five wickets for the match and had the ball swinging both ways.
Will be a handful if the Indians manage to bowl with a new ball at night in this Test and he has a good record in Australia. When India travelled to Australia in the summer of 18-19, Shami took 16 wickets in four Tests at a very healthy average of 26.19
1st Innings
Shami Top IND Wicket Taker
$3.40
