THE EDGE: The Edge previews the 2nd Test between INDIA v ENGLAND with a recommended BETDAQ bet.
India v England 1st Test
MATCH OVERVIEW:
Bazball. The unstoppable force! England landed a win for the ages in the 1st Test in Hyderabad, and with not many cricket fans giving them a chance of a series win in India surely the door is massively open now. The 2nd Test begins in the early hours on Friday morning on Betdaq Betting Exchange, and we should have another fascinating game ahead. India have been dealt a huge blow in the lead up to this Test too as Jadeja and KL Rahul have both been ruled out with injury. That’s on top of Virat Kohli out because of personal reasons; dare I say will England get a better chance of a series win than this?
Ben Stokes said afterwards that it was his best win as captain which is a remarkable comment considering all the superb wins England have had under Stokes. It was only the fourth defeat for India in 48 Test matches. It was also the biggest turnaround by a visiting side after the first innings – England were 190 runs behind; no side has ever come back from such a score after the first innings in India. India head coach Dravid said they shouldn’t have been chasing 230, but that was down to the brilliance of Ollie Pope. As is always the way under Brendon McCullum, when danger was coming England ran head first towards it. Attacking when things looked bleak and putting the opposition under pressure.
As for India, they asked for a spinning wicket and it goes to show that just because they get their favoured wicket doesn’t always mean a win. England obviously got to bat first, and the ball was turning a lot in the final innings with India under pressure. It will be interesting to see what conditions bring here, but you’d assume it will be more of the same. Another fascinating Test match awaits.
WEATHER AND PITCH WATCH:
The sides move to Visakhapatnam for the 2nd Test. We actually haven’t had much International cricket here, and it will be very interesting to see what the wicket is like. We have to assume that India will ask for a slow, low and spinning wicket. We’ve only had two Tests here; India have won both against South Africa and England. The margins were over 200 runs twice, and I would suggest it will pay to bat first here whatever conditions we get. If it spins a lot, you get best use of the wicket and if it’s a good wicket you get the opportunity to go big not under pressure. England played that Test here in 2016, there actually hasn’t been a Test here since 2019. Australia played an ODI here in 2023, and bowled India out for 117! We did see two 200+ scores in the T20 game against Australia though.
RECOMMENDED BET:
The draw price was around 8.0 in the 1st Test, that’s moved out to 12.0 now after everyone has saw what India are going to ask for wicket wise. We don’t have a huge amount of ground data here, but you’d have to expect that India have asked for a spinning wicket again; it’s just what they do with home advantage. England will have to deal with that again but based on the players that India are missing and how England were able to play in the third innings in the 1st Test I feel they offer a little bit of value here at 3.5. I just feel we’ll see a closer game than those odds suggest given who is ruled out for India this time around. Beating India at home is incredibly tough, but obviously England will believe they can do it now after the 1st Test!
The Edge Says:
One point win England to beat India at 3.5 with Betdaq Exchange
View the market here -> https://betdaq.biz/2IndEng
IN-RUNNING STRATEGY:
In the 1st Test I was happy to ignore the draw and focus on a straight shootout between the two sides. I am thinking something similar here, but I wouldn’t be against the draw at 12.0 given we have had some very flat wickets here in white ball cricket. As I have said though, you’d have to expect India have asked for a spinning wicket so we should work off that. India traded in the 1.0’s before losing the 1st Test, so I would expect another fantastic Test for trading between two excellent sides. I do feel that batting first can offer an edge here, and it also means you don’t have to bat last on what could be another very tricky wicket.
