India claimed their first-ever Test series victory in Australia on the 2018-19 tour but the Aussies will be fired up to avenge that defeat this time around.
The four-match series starts early on Thursday morning at the Adelaide Oval where Australia have won six of their last seven Tests – the exception being India’s 31-run win December 2018.
Captain Kohli Desperate to Make an Early Impact
A repeat of India’s 2-1 victory two years ago is an 8/1 chance in the series correct score betting but they will need their supporting cast to stand tall down under.
Captain Virat Kohli, who has scored six centuries in 12 Test matches in Australia, is only available for the first Test before he flies home on paternity leave and Rohit Sharma, another senior batsman, is set to miss the first two games of the series as he recovers from injury.
Those key departures see India at 4/1 to win the series, with Australia 2/5 favourites and a draw 9/2, although the hosts have some selection issues of their own. Openers David Warner and Will Pucovski are out of the first Test but key batsman Steve Smith has been passed fit after a minor back problem.
Ace Bowlers Boost Australia Hopes of 4-0 Clean Sweep
Crucially, Australia have been able to manage the workloads of their devastating bowling attack with Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and spinner Nathan Lyon ready to be unleashed in the first Test.
If the home bowlers get on top of India’s less experienced batsmen early in the series then the 4-0 Australia win could be a big runner at 5/1 once Kohli hands over the reins to vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane.
Indian Batsmen Could Face Starc Reality in Adelaide
The series starts with a day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval where Australia are 20/31 for victory with India 2/1 and the draw 25/4.
That draw price reflects the difficulty of batting under the lights, particularly against bowlers as pacy and skilful as Australia’s Starc.
The left-armer is 2/1 to be his side’s leading wicket-taker in the first innings and odds of 9/1 about him being named man of the match also look tempting.
In last year’s day-night Test in Adelaide, Starc claimed 6-66 against Pakistan and he has taken 42 wickets in seven matches with the pink ball – a tally that may well rise if he gets a crack at the Indian lower order as the sun goes down.
Dangerous Wade Can Thrive in Middle-Order
Ex-Baggy Greens skipper Smith and India’s Kohli are both 2/1 favourites to top-score in their teams’ first innings and both have formidable records in this series.
Kohli has scored three tons in six innings in Adelaide while Smith averages 84 after ten Test matches against India.
Their undoubted class is factored into the prices, though, and it could be worth taking a chance on 7/1 shot Matthew Wade top-scoring in Australia’s first dig of the series.
The left-hander is usually destroying Big Bash bowlers for Hobart Hurricanes at this time of the year but he scored two centuries from number six in the 2019 Ashes series in England and is a big favourite of Australia coach Justin Langer.
Wade has kept wicket in 22 of his 32 Test appearances but he has been picked as a specialist batsman for this series and could enhance his reputation at number five.
*All odds correct at the time of writing