4th Test Betting Preview – Australia v India
4th Test – Australia v India, begins Tuesday 24/1 at 11.00pm (AEDST) at Adelaide Oval.
Latest Odds – HERE.
A WORD ON THE THIRD TEST:
Australia continued its surprising dominance over India with a comprehensive victory by an innings and 37 runs at the WACA. The win meant the Border-Gavaskar trophy will finally return home to Australia once the fourth Test is completed.
The Aussies were clinical and looked as solid as ever, particularly from a bowling viewpoint. Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle ripped through the Indian top order in the first innings to finish with figures of 4-43 and 3-42 respectively. Then young left-armer Mitchell Starc announced himself as a player of the future in India’s second innings, claiming the wickets of Gautam Gambhir and the irrepressible Sachin Tendulkar in quick succession to give the Aussies the upper hand.
But undoubtedly the player of the match was David Warner, who produced the equal-fourth fastest century in Test history. The aggressive left-hander blasted the Indian attack to all parts of the WACA, finishing with 180 from 159 deliveries, including 20 fours and five sixes. Warner had great support from fellow opener Ed Cowan, who crafted an impressive knock of 74. Together, the two put on 214 for the opening partnership in a magnificent display of batting.
As for the Indians, they are in complete disarray at the moment. The loss in Perth was their seventh straight Test loss away from home – and that streak looks like it will stretch even further the way they are playing at the moment. The so-called unbreakable batting line-up has failed to average over 30, leaving the inexperienced bowling attack with too much responsibility.
The only positives to come out of the last match for the Indians were the performances of Virat Kohli and Umesh Yadav. Kohli produced solid knocks of 44 and 75 in his two innings to prove that he can adapt to Test conditions. Yadav claimed his first five-wicket haul of his career, taking 5-93 while his teammates struggled to get a breakthrough.
KEY PLAYERS:
He is perhaps the greatest cricketer of all time, but who in their right mind would want to be Sachin Tendulkar right now? The 38-year-old is under an incredible amount of pressure to register his 52nd Test century and 100th international century – and the pressure might be getting to him. Tendulkar has passed 30 on four occasions this series, but has failed to convert any of those starts into a century. Many say the right-handed batsman, who holds just about every batting record worth owning in the game, is playing too conservatively as he gets closer to the incredible individual milestone. With the Australians already wrapping up the series in Perth, the pressure is now off Tendulkar to perform for his team. On the batsman-friendly Adelaide wicket, maybe this will be the match where Tendulkar makes it 100 100’s.
In the words of the late Michael Jackson, ‘this is it’ for Brad Haddin. If the Australian wicketkeeper wants to keep his spot in the side, he simply must perform with both bat and gloves in this Test. Haddin has been severely out of form in recent times, averaging just 10.6 runs per innings over his past four matches. The 34-year-old has also looked a little out of sorts with gloves, dropping a number catches he would normally snaffle up. With Tasmania’s Tim Paine due back from a finger injury in the coming months and Victoria’s Matthew Wade in excellent form at domestic level, Haddin must make full use of the favourable batting conditions to cement his spot in the Australian Test team for the immediate future.
PITCH AND CONDITIONS:
The Adelaide Oval pitch is traditionally a batsman’s paradise – and this Test wicket will be no exception. Four days out before the start of the Test, the strip had an even covering of grass on it but seemed quite dry. And with such hot weather in Adelaide over recent days, that grass may no longer be there, meaning the ball will come onto the bat perfectly the match and runs will come easily. With the pitch a little dry, expect a little extra turn on days three to five. Rain will not be an issue over the Test, with hot and dry conditions expected.
TEAMS:
The most interesting selection issue for the Aussies coming into this Test surrounds the bowling line-up. Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris should keep their spots in the side, while hometown hero Nathan Lyon simply has to play with the extra Adelaide Oval wicket expected to take extra spin during the final days of the Test. The 12th man spot will be between Mitchell Starc and Ben Hilfenhaus. Though he is the leading wicket-taker in the series, Hilfenhaus’ record in Adelaide is terrible, while left-armed Starc is in the form of his life and would provide great footmarks for Lyon’s off-spin. Here is how the Australians should line-up:
1. Ed Cowan
2. David Warner
3. Shaun Marsh
4. Ricky Ponting
5. Michael Clarke (C)
6. Michael Hussey
7. Brad Haddin (WK)
8. Peter Siddle
9. Ryan Harris
10. Ben Hilfenhaus/Mitchell Starc
11. Nathan Lyon
India suffered a huge blow following the loss in Perth, with captain MS Dhoni banned for one Test after an extremely slow over-rate. Virender Sehwag will therefore captain the side in Adelaide. Dhoni will be replaced in the side by Wriddhiman Saha, who has played just one Test in his cricket career so far. Saha is rated very highly as a wicketkeeper by those who have seen him in domestic cricket and is more than handy with the bat. There has been plenty of conjecture over VVS Laxman’s spot in the side for this match due to the right-hander’s poor series against the Aussies. But Laxman is expected to retain his spot at number six, despite averaging of 17 from six innings. Here is how the Indians should line-up:
1. Gautam Gambhir
2. Virender Sehwag (C)
3. Rahul Dravid
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. VVS Laxman
6. Virat Kohli
7. Wriddhiman Saha (WK)
8. Ravichandaran Ashwin
9. Ishant Sharma
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Umesh Yadav
WHO WINS?
There is nothing worse than a dead rubber Test match, but there are still plenty of mini storylines flying around that will keep this match intriguing.
Can Haddin perform and save his career with a big innings? Will Tendulkar reach his 100th century? Will Sehwag handle the pressure of captaincy? Can Shaun Marsh finally produce a decent innings on Australian soil?
The other subplot will surround Lyon, who will play his first ever Test on his home ground. But he will know more than anyone else that it will be a tough task.
Despite the Indian batting line-up’s horrible series, they have played the off-spinner with ease this series and treated him with disdain on some occasions. Aussie fans want a stable spinner in the side that will be trusted and given time to develop. But Lyon’s inability to trouble the Indian batsmen is an obvious concern, hence why he will be looked at following the conclusion of this Test.
India has lost all Tests in a series on just three occasions in the past 52 years, so perhaps Dhoni’s ban is exactly what it needs.
Yes the Indians have looked unmotivated and unenergetic during the series so far, but perhaps Sehwag will inject freshness into his team and make them realise how embarrassing it is to lose a Test series in a whitewash.
The Indians are still not good enough to defeat the in-form Australians at the moment. But if the tourists get on top of the match early and quickly settle on the batsman-friendly deck, there could be come big scores – both from a team and individual viewpoint.
A draw would be a depressing way to finish the series. But it also seems reasonably realistic.
BEST HEAD-TO-HEAD BET:
Draw ($3.50)
AUSTRALIA HIGH BAT FIRST INNINGS:
Shaun Marsh ($6.50)
INDIA HIGH BAT FIRST INNINGS:
Sachin Tendulkar ($5.00)
SACHIN TENDULKAR 100TH INTERNATIONAL CENTURY SPECIAL:
4th Test – Adelaide ($4.00)
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