THE EDGE: The Edge previews the 1st Test between Australia v India with a recommended BETDAQ bet.
Australia v India 1st Test
MATCH OVERVIEW:
The highlight of the winter cricket schedule arrives in the early hours of Friday morning on BETDAQ Betting Exchange as India begin their tour of Australia. It’s not often we get a five match Test series these days – only really between the big three of India, Australia and England. This will be a long tour for India, and they arrive into Australia under immense pressure. It’s very rare to see India lose a home Test match, never mind a series – they arrive here off the back of a 3-0 series loss at home to a “weak” (these days) New Zealand side. Not only do they come into the series under pressure, but they have to start without their captain and one of their key batters as Rohit Sharma who has stayed home in India for the birth of his second child.
Jasprit Bumrah will take charge; only his second Test as captain. Sharma will be a huge loss at the top of the order given a very quick pitch is expected to start the series in Perth. Usually the type of conditions India always struggle in, but this recent India side have been different. They have landed the last two series in Australia – a feat unheard of really from years past. With that record, it’s likely that Australia will aim for very quick wickets, making conditions even more “spicy” than usual in an aim to roll the India batting line-up for very little. That will make for fascinating cricket!
Australia come into the series in good shape – they have their strongest XI available and home conditions too. I would suggest that this is a massive task ahead for India – if they could get another series win in Australia it would be up there with their biggest ever achievements outside of major tournaments.
WEATHER AND PITCH WATCH:
We begin the five Test series in Perth Stadium, this is a pretty new ground so we don’t have a huge history to go off here. India were actually the first ever Test match here during their 2018/29 tour. We’ve only had four Tests here; all have had a result and Australia have won all four. It’s easy to see why Cricket Australia picked this venue as the 1st Test! Maybe we shouldn’t read too much into the stats here because the other three sides were New Zealand, West Indies and Pakistan – historically West Indies and Pakistan struggle in Australia and as I said New Zealand aren’t the force of old. That being said, it looks a big edge to bat first here. However, with a very quick wicket expected it’s going to be very interesting to see what the captain does when he wins the toss!
RECOMMENDED BET:
It’s not a surprise to see Australia as the odds on favourites – they are trading 1.46 at the time of writing. It’s been made public knowledge to expect a “spicy” wicket in Perth, so that basically rules out the draw! The market agrees with that; the draw is 16.0+ which must one of the biggest draw prices in 2024. This is likely to be a low scoring shootout, and while India have the bowling talent to give Australia problems – I do feel the Aussie bowling will cause more damage here, especially as India are without some key batters too. No Rohit Sharma is a huge blow. I’m happy to keep stakes small at the start of the series as we’ll learn a lot about the sides as we move forward, but Australia at 1.46 looks the best position here.
The Edge Says:
One point win Australia to beat India at 1.46 with Betdaq Exchange
View the market here -> https://betdaq.biz/AusInd1
IN-RUNNING STRATEGY:
With expected conditions, it’s likely going to be a Test where we you want to be on either bowling side rather than either batting side! Obviously we’ll have to see what conditions are like over the first few overs so get a feel of the wicket, but you wouldn’t be surprised to see this as a low scoring game. In the past, it has paid to bat first as the wicket breaks up – depending on how much grass they have on the wicket, that tactic could pay off and that’s probably the only time consider backing the side who bats first. I’d expect the Indian batting line-up to struggle, and I’d be keen to support the Aussie bowlers when the time comes whether it’s if India are batting first or second.
