The Aussies hit back hard in the Third Test, dominating India to take the series to 2-1. Can they tie it up in Ahmedabad?
Head-to-Head
Despite no warm-up game, injuries to key players like Starc and Green, the captain’s absence from the final two Tests and the most shameless pitch doctoring ever seen, the Aussies have been pretty solid on cricket’s toughest tour.
In both of the first two Tests, the visitors were poised to take first innings leads before the Indian tail wagged. Their two batting collapses in consecutive second innings were mostly due to poor planning and obsessive sweeping, both of which looked rectified in the third Test.
The enormous Narendra Modi Stadium has been completely rebuilt in recent years but has historically been one of India’s worst home venues. From 14 Tests dating back to the 1980s, the home side have only won six.
India need a win to qualify for the World Test Championship Final (against the Aussies), but the visitors have now shown they are capable of competing in India, and at the price they look the better bet in Ahmedabad.
Best Bet
Ashwin continued his brilliant series in the Third Test, notching up his fifth straight 3+ wicket performance for the series before taking the only wicket in Australia’s short second dig.
The veteran also took 3+ wickets in each of his four innings at this venue in 2021 against England.
Looks like easy money again.
Value Bet
Juicy price here for the resurgent Khawaja, who has top scored in both of Australia’s last two first innings with two of Australia’s three 50+ scores this series.
He’s looks Australia’s best batsmen in these conditions, while Peter Handscomb is also worth a saver at $6.00+.
We were all over Patel in the Third Test at a similarly ridiculous price and he almost delivered, remaining not out just 10 runs off top scoring for India (he also remained not out in the second innings).
Despite batting at eight, the spinning all-rounder is the series’ second highest-run scorer on 185, just 22 behind Rohit Sharma.
On form, he should be batting far further up the order so hopefully he gets a promotion in Ahmedabad and a greater opportunity to top score.
