Australia v India ODI Preview – Saturday, January 12th, 2091 at 2.20 am
Australia are licking their wounds after losing their first ever Test home series against India. It’s was a very difficult year for Australia cricket and now, with this being a World Cup year, even more pressure is on them. They have a chance to at least put some kind of positive on the board to start the year as they head into a three-match ODI against India.
Australia v India 1st ODI Odds*
India 8/13
Australia 13/10
* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 10th, 2019 at 4:13 pm)
India on the front foot
Without question then India are on the front foot Down Under. They completed that historic Test series win and now they will be looking to drive home their advantage in the ODI series. India are ranked second in the world in this format (behind England) and should have the clear advantage over the hosts.
This is the first ODI series between them in Australia since 2016 when Australia dominated in a 4-1 victory in the five-match series. Between 2015 and 2016 they faced India in seven ODI matches and Australia collected a win in six of those. But is the momentum about to shift? On the evidence of the Tests, probably.
Virat Kohli is arguably the best batsman in the world at the moment and he is at 5/2 odds to be India’s top scorer in the match* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 10th, 2019 at 3:06 pm). He has been so well supported Down Under by Cheteshwar Pujara who rattled off three-century scores in the Test series. There is something different about India at the moment. They have an aggressive spring in their step and they are going to be difficult to stop at the World Cup.
India’s pace bowlers led by Jasprit Bumrah were consistent and deadly. Aggressive too. Australia’s line up in the ODI squad doesn’t look to have a great deal of depth about it. They are low in confidence and they could well have a hard time coming up with a response to the power and aggression that India have been showing lately.
Australia v India ODI Prediction
It is India all the way. Australia lost 11 of 13 of ODI matches during the 2018 calendar year in matches against England and South Africa combined. That’s was a shocking return and highlighted the status of Australia cricket. India to take the win at 8/13 odds* (betting odds taken from bet365 on January 10th, 2019 at 4:13 pm).
