Cricket Betting: India vs Australia 4th Test Preview
What a turn-around for the Kangaroos! From being labelled the ‘weakest team’ to being the most competitive – Steve Smith’s men have managed to defy all expectations and stay ahead of India. And, as the series heads into the fourth and final Test the visitors have a better chance of upsetting all pre-series calculations. The match will be played at Dharmasala from Saturday, March 25.
Questions galore for the hosts!
India find themselves in a tricky situation after having started the series as heavy favorites. That they are still 1-1 in the series is due to the fighting spirit they showed in Bangalore to claw back. Even in Ranchi, they faced a huge first-innings score from Australia but recovered in time.
However, what may prick the hosts is their inability to roll-out the Aussies on the final day at Ranchi. Suddenly, their main spinner Ravichandran Ashwin looks a mortal on turning pitches!
But for Cheteswar Pujara and KL Rahul, their batting too struggled in the series. With doubts on captain Kohli’s participation for the Test, it could be interesting to see how they cope up with the injuries. Bhuvneswar Kumar should be in line for a recall but will it be at the expense of Karun Nair or Ishant Sharma is a huge dilemma for the Indian management.
Chance of a life-time for the Aussies
How often do you see the modern Australian team starting the final Test of a series in the sub-continent with a chance of winning it? Very rare – and that’s precisely why this is a huge opportunity for the Kangaroos.
The fact that they stand in with a chance to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy is a tribute to their fighting skills. That they could achieve this without meaningful contributions from David Warner is praiseworthy!
But Smith will hope that his vice-captain can regain his form in time for the final Test. With the venue expected to aid pace and bounce, the Aussies may look at drafting an additional seamer in Jackson Bird – probably at the expense of Steve O’Keefe.
Odds
It’s a debut Test for another venue and Dharmasala should provide just as much entertainment as Ranchi did. The overcast conditions and the altitude of the venue should aid the Aussie bowling and suddenly they look favorites. India still have an edge in the bookies’ market with odds of $1.83 (bet365) on their win. But Australia at odds of $3.75 (Ladbrokes) could be your punt if you are willing to be aggressive.
Pujara has been the main stay for the Indians through the series and at odds of $4.33 (Ladbrokes) looks set to be their best batsman once again. For the Aussies, it has to be captain Smith at odds of $3.40 (bet365)
