Australia v India – ODI Betting Preview
Australia v India: ODI Game 4, Sunday 12/2 – 1.50pm (Local Time) at Adelaide Oval – Latest Odds HERE..
AUSTRALIA’S TRI-SERIES CAMPAIGN:
Game 1 – defeated India by 65 runs (D/L method) at MCG (5/2)
Game 3 – defeated Sri Lanka by five runs at WACA (10/2)
Game 4 – v India at Adelaide Oval (12/2)
Game 6 – v Sri Lanka at SCG (17/2)
Game 7 – v India at Gabba (19/2)
Game 9 – v Sri Lanka at Blundstone Arena, Hobart (24/2)
Game 10 – v India at SCG (26/2)
Game 12 – v Sri Lanka at MCG (2/3)
INDIA’S TRI-SERIES CAMPAIGN:
Game 1 – lost to Australia by 65 runs (D/L method) at MCG (5/2)
Game 2 – defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets (with 20 balls remaining) at WACA (8/2)
Game 4 – v Australia at Adelaide Oval (12/2)
Game 5 – v Sri Lanka at Adelaide Oval (14/2)
Game 7 – v Australia at Gabba (19/2)
Game 8 – v Sri Lanka at Gabba (21/2)
Game 10 – v Australia at SCG (26/2)
Game 11 – v Sri Lanka at Blundstone Arena, Hobart (28/2)
KEY PLAYERS:
Before the start of this summer, not many cricket fans outside of Victoria and Tasmania would have heard of Matthew Wade. But this rising star couldn’t have made a better start to his international limited-overs career here in Australia. With regular ODI captain Brad Haddin being rested, the 24-year-old has been in outstanding touch at the top of the order for his country, scoring 72 and 32 in two T20’s then 67 and one in the two ODI’s. Wade’s power, composure and improvisation at the wicket has turned many heads and he certainly hasn’t been intimidated by opposition bowlers. The Tasmanian-turned-Victorian has also moved well behind the wickets, claiming five dismissals in Friday’s match against Sri Lanka and taking balls cleanly off the spinners, especially when batsmen played and missed. Wade looks at home in Australian colours and will be keen to bounce back from his failure in Perth.
It’s amazing how one man can change the entire mood of a bowling attack – and that’s exactly what Zaheer Khan did against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. The 33-year-old, who had missed India’s past three limited-overs matches against Australia, was brought back into the side for the match in Perth and had an immediate impact, getting dangerous batsmen Upul Tharanga and Kumar Sangakkara driving and caught behind the wicket within the first 17 overs. Zaheer was back to his very best on the green WACA wicket, hitting that awkward length and swinging the ball away from the left-handed batsman. The left-arm paceman finished with the economical figures of 2-44 from his 10 overs and proved he is the most important cog in this Indian bowling unit. Zaheer needs to play as many games as possible to ensure India make the finals of this tri-series.
PITCH AND CONDITIONS:
Expect a typical dry and flat Adelaide Oval pitch for Sunday’s match. If you are Michael Clarke or MS Dhoni, the smart thing to do would be to win the toss and bat first. Not only would you be making use of the beautiful, sunny, 25-degree Adelaide weather, but you’d also be bowling second on a dry wicket, which might take a little extra turn than usual under the lights.
TEAMS:
The original Australia squad for this tri-series was picked for the opening three ODI’s, so Sunday’s match will be the last one using this squad. But don’t expect wholesale changes. The bowling line-up has looked extremely settled over the past two games and should stay the same for the Adelaide match. However don’t be surprised to see a change in the batting personnel. Despite an awesome Test series against India earlier in the summer, Ricky Ponting has failed in his first two one-day innings, scoring just two and one against India and Sri Lanka. Peter Forrest was apparently very close to playing in Perth, so he may replace Ponting for this game. Here is how the Australians are likely to line-up:
1. David Warner
2. Matthew Wade (WK)
3. Ricky Ponting/Peter Forrest
4. Michael Clarke (C)
5. David Hussey
6. Michael Hussey
7. Dan Christian
8. Clint McKay
9. Ryan Harris
10. Mitchell Starc
11. Xavier Doherty
India’s middle order has looked shaky at the crease in the opening two games, but skipper Dhoni says there is no need to panic yet. According to him, the only changes that will be made to the batting line-up will surround the two opening batsmen. Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag opened the Indian innings against Sri Lanka on Wednesday, but don’t be surprised to see Gautam Gambhir come in for one of those two. Maybe Tendulkar, seeing he has played both matches so far. The Indian selectors would also be keen to give Umesh Yadav a game in the series too, so he could come in for Praveen Kumar, who hasn’t taken a wicket yet and conceded an average of over five runs per over this series. Here is how the Indians are likely to line-up:
1. Virender Sehwag/Gautam Gambhir
2. Sachin Tendulkar
3. Virat Kohli
4. Rohit Sharma
5. Suresh Raina
6. MS Dhoni (C/WK)
7. Ravindra Jadeja
8. Ravichandaran Ashwin
9. Zaheer Khan
10. Praveen Kumar/Umesh Yadav
11. Ranganath Vinay Kumar
WHO WINS?
When these two teams met in the first game of the series, they played under wet, cold and frustrating conditions at the MCG. In the end, it probably suited the Australians a little more. But with perfect weather and a flat pitch expected on Sunday, this could be a much more even contest.
India would have been ecstatic to at least get a win on the board after defeating Sri Lanka last Wednesday. Zaheer’s inclusion was obviously well received, but the performances of two other players really lifted the team’s morale.
Virat Kohli’s authoritative 77 off 94 balls set the tone for his team’s run chase, while Ravi Ashwin put his dreadful form behind him and pulled out his best performance of the summer, taking 3-32 and amassing 30 not out to guide his team to a four-wicket victory. He was rightly named man-of-the-match.
The Indians also would have taken plenty of confidence out of the fact that Australia looked vulnerable during its match against Sri Lanka on Friday night.
Many of the Australian batsmen got starts but failed to go on to a big score. Skipper Clarke was the only man to reach a half-century, scoring 57 off 88 balls. It was a typical Clarke innings and the perfect example of how he has led his team this summer, only hitting four boundaries and spending more than two and a half hours at the crease.
However it was Australia’s bowlers who got them out of the dungeons. Every bowler took a wicket and conceded an average of less than six runs per over. Xavier Doherty was simply outstanding and clearly the pick of the bowlers, taking 2-24 from his allotted 10 overs. The Aussies have a keeper there.
The Indians will appreciate playing on a pitch that resembles more of a sub-continent wicket. All they need is to win the toss, put together one or two solid partnerships and have one player score a big hundred to really put the Australians on the back foot.
This game will probably be a lot tighter than what most people expect. But it’s still hard to tip against the Australians. Perhaps that tight scare against Sri Lanka on Friday night was exactly what they needed to keep them on their toes.
Don’t be surprised to see the Indians challenge, but the Australian batting line-up is due for a big score. Expect them to pile on enough runs.
BEST HEAD-TO-HEAD BET:
Australia to win ($1.57)
AUSTRALIA HIGH BAT:
Matthew Wade ($5.00)
HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL MATCH SCORE:
100 runs or more ($2.25)
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