Betting Tips

The highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy is set to begin this week, as Australia hosts India for the first test match starting Friday. It will be played at the Perth Stadium. India is under a lot of pressure going into this match. It is without its captain and some of its leading players. It has also lost its previous three matches at home. Australia has never lost a match at the Perth Stadium and has prepared a fast surface to make the Indian batters uncomfortable.

As bettors, do you take the odds on offer and bet on Australia or do you take the risk and back India to overcome all obstacles? Let us take a closer look.

Australia vs India Head-to-Head record

The two teams have faced each other in 107 matches to date. Australia won 45 while India won 32. 29 matches ended up in a draw while won was a tie.

Australia vs India Live-Streaming and Broadcast

This match will be live-streamed on the Disney+ Hotstar App. You can also watch it live on the Star Sports Network.

AUS vs IND Team Previews

Australia

Australia will return to the red-ball format after a gap of 8 months as it looks to extend its dominance at the top of the WTC table.

While the hosts have retained most of its core squad for the first Test match, it has thrown in a couple of surprises. The biggest of them is the inclusion of Nathan McSweeney. He has been rewarded for his consistent performance in the domestic circuit, where he averages close to 40 runs. McSweeny is expected to open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja.

Josh Inglis, who has yet to make a Test debut, has been named on the squad as well but is unlikely to play here. The middle order consists of Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Alex Carey, and Travis Head, while Mitchell Marsh could play as an all-rounder.

Australia’s biggest strength will be its pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood. Nathan Lyon, who is Australia’s premier spinner in Test cricket will also likely find a place in the eleven.

Almost all of the spotlight has been on India's problems in the lead up to the BGT Series, however, we feel Australia is not at its best either. Smith and Labuschagne have been out of form for a while, Alex Carey and Mitchell Marsh are not the most reliable of batters in the middle order and Nathan McSweeney can be put under pressure.

Having a fast and bouncy surface could backfire on Australia as it would bring the two bowling attacks closer together.

Australia Expected Playing 11

India

Fresh off a gut-wrenching loss against New Zealand at home, India will look to redeem itself and strengthen its case for a WTC final spot as well.

Right off the bat, the news for the Indian camp is that Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will be unavailable for this match. KL Rahul also copped a blow to his elbow during a practice session and the gravity of his injury is still being assessed.

If Rahul is fit, he is the most likely contender to open the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal. India has retained Abhimanyu Easwaran and Devdutt Padikkal from the India A squad that toured Down Under, and Padikkal seems to be a strong contender for the number 3 slot.

India's batting is a bit shaky and the responsibility on the middle-order is going to be greater than ever. Virat Kohli has been positive in the nets and we think he will enjoy the challenge that Australia throws at him. Expect a comeback of sorts.

Rishab Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, and Ravindra Jadeja could make up the middle and lower order for India in this match. The only real question is going to be choosing between Sarfaraz Khan and Nitesh Kumar Reddy.

That leaves India playing with three quicks. Bumrah, Siraj, and Akash Deep are all but certain to play if they are fit.

India may not be at full strength but it is still a formidable team. We think its bowlers will manage to hold their own and if the batters can put up a good total on the board, they are capable of springing a surprise.

India Expected Playing 11

AUS vs IND Toss Prediction

The team winning the toss will likely opt to bat first. All four matches played at the Perth Stadium have been won by the team batting first. The pitch appears to get a lot more uneven as the match progresses.

Pitch and Conditions

This is only the 5th Test match that will be played at this venue. Going by the previous games, we are expecting a fast and bouncy pitch for this match. There is an even covering of grass and there will be plenty of help for the fast bowlers when the ball is new. There will be good carry as well.

The bulk of the work is done by the fast bowlers but keep in mind that Nathan Lyon has an excellent record in Perth as well. Getting a big total in the first inning and taking a lead in the first inning are crucial.

The weather is likely to be clear for all 5 days.

AUS vs IND Betting Tips

The BGT is known to throw up engaging contests and this match is expected to be the same. However, India has a disadvantage in this match as a couple of its top-order batsmen are unavailable while a few others are going through a rough patch. The hosts start as the favorite.

While we may hope for some brilliance from India, at this stage, it is looking like Australia all the way.

Bet on Australia to win.