AUS vs IND Team Previews
Australia
Australia was favored to win the last game and has performed well in this series. However, the match ended in a tie due to continuous weather delays. Despite this, there have been some issues with Australia’s gameplay. The top order has struggled, with Nathan McSweeney, who made his Test debut, averaging 14.40, and Usman Khawaja averaging only 12.60 over six innings.
As a result, Khawaja will not play in the next two games, and Sam Konstas will take his place. Konstas scored a century in the practice match against India and has been performing well in the Sheffield Shield. However, he has yet to face Jasprit Bumrah, which can be a challenging task for a newcomer.
Travis Head and Steve Smith, the two in-form batters, are under additional pressure, especially given that Marnus Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh are also struggling. Australia’s batting lineup appears vulnerable under pressure. Due to an injury, Josh Hazlewood will not be participating in the pace department, so Scott Boland will likely join Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.
Boland performed well with the pink ball, while both Cummins and Starc have bowled exceptionally in this series. We do not believe Australia will miss Josh Hazlewood, especially considering Scott Boland’s record at the MSG, which shows that he enjoys bowling there. After the third day of play, Nathan Lyon is expected to play a more significant role and will retain his position.
Australia Expected Playing 11
- Sam Konstas
- Usman Khawaja
- Steve Smith
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Mitchell Marsh
- Travis Head
- Alex Carey (WK)
- Pat Cummins (C)
- Mitchell Starc
- Scott Boland
- Nathan Lyon
India
After a disappointing first innings, India will be relieved that the match at The Gabba ended in a draw. To keep the series alive, the team needs to address several issues and come back stronger. The visitors’ batting has been their weakest point. Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal both scored centuries in the opening game, but they haven’t been able to replicate that form since then.
If it weren’t for the resilient batting of KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja, along with a late contribution from Akash Deep, the last match could have ended badly for India. Rohit Sharma has struggled in his three innings, averaging just over six runs, while Shubman Gill has also faced difficulties. Rishabh Pant and Nitish Reddy have shown flashes of brilliance, but without a strong start, their potential is limited.
The MCG has been lively and fast over the past two seasons, and in this match, the Indian batting lineup will likely face another tough challenge. In the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah has been outstanding and is the top wicket-taker with 21 wickets in the series.
He has received excellent support from Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj. We believe that India is unlikely to change their bowling lineup for this game. However, due to his batting capabilities, Ravindra Jadeja should retain his place in the team, despite the struggles faced by the spinners.
India Expected Playing 11
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Rohit Sharma (C)
- KL Rahul
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Rishabh Pant (WK)
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Akash Deep
- Jaspreet Bumrah
- Mohammed Siraj
- Nitish Reddy
AUS vs IND Betting Tips
The 1-1 result highlights the fierce rivalry between Australia and India throughout this series. Despite starting strong, India has struggled to maintain their lead. Although Australia seems to be the stronger team, their performance was affected by the unfavorable weather conditions in Brisbane. Both teams have shown weaknesses in their batting lineups, and India appears overly reliant on Jasprit Bumrah. While the competition is likely to be close, Australia has more resources at their disposal. They are also expected to win the toss in the upcoming matches.
Therefore, placing a bet on Australia to come out on top seems like a wise choice.
