The conclusion of the World Test Championship (WTC) takes place this week as Australia and India lock horns in a one-off match at The Oval in London, England.
The 2021-23 edition of the competition is the second cycle in the competition's history.
Australia topped the league table with 11 wins, three losses and five draws from 19 matches, earning 152 WTC points. They'll be opposed by India who have won 10, lost five and drawn three of their 18 qualifying matches – a 127-point haul.
Australia are favourites for the contest at 20/21, with India 7/4 outsiders and a draw priced a 9/2 - a little short given the forecast of potential showers on day four and day five.
Josh Hazlewood is the big name missing from the Aussie squad – the paceman is very adept in English conditions and would have brought an economic bowling output to the Australian attack.
The strength in the Australian squad may well come from the several players who have spent time playing in the County Championship this season – namely Marcus Harris, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Michael Neser who should now be acclimatised to English conditions.
India, meanwhile, are missing a couple of star names in the form of wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and paceman Jasprit Bumrah. They do have the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel who have County Championship experience.
India were defeated in the final of the 2019-21 Test championship final, losing by eight wickets to New Zealand at the Rose Bowl. India have won just two of their last six Tests on English soil, losing three and drawing one.
Australia, meanwhile, drew their last series here 2-2, and will be using the contest as vital preparation for their upcoming Ashes challenge against England.
On the batting front, it could be a battle between Labuschagne (4/1) and Pujara (13/2) for Top Batter honours. Pujara has averaged 68.12 in the County Championship Division Two scoring 545 runs in eight innings. Labuschagne, meanwhile, has a higher average (71.71) but a lower run total (502) from his eight at bats.
For the Aussies, a match total of Over 82.5 runs at 5/6 should be in consideration, as should be a first innings 50 for number three Labuschagne at 5/4. His Test record may include just one 50 in four Tests against India earlier this year, but these were in subcontinental spinning conditions, and he has showcased form in English conditions. He also enjoys The Oval with scores of 138*, 143 and 80 in five Test innings at the venue – a match 100 at 4/1 is a shout.
Pujara is in similar suspect form in Test matches, but that should be discounted somewhat due to his prowess in England. He scored 1,094 runs in the 2022 County Championship with five centuries – converting every time he passed 50. Add in three further tons this summer and a Top Batter bet of 13/2 is very backable. Consider also the over 7.5 total fours (4/5). His Oval record, however, is patchy in Tests.
Of course, Steve Smith and Virat Kohli are two of the games 'big four' although it could easily be a 'top six' with Labuschagne, Babar Azam (Pakistan), Kane Williamson (NZ) and Joe Root (England). Smith has
no 50s in his last four Tests and scored just 122 runs in three innings for Sussex with one 50+ score – so be wary of the Australian behemoth.
Kohli is a different story. His last Test innings, against Australia, was a mammoth 186 tally in the fourth match in March. His run of scores in England, however, are 20, 11, 44, 50, 55, 7, 20 and 42 – to not score a 50 in the match is a risky Evens ploy. He should, however, achieve the over 7.5 fours across both innings at 4/5.
Switching to the bowlers, Neser at 8/1 to be the Top Bowler is a solid proposition if selected. He has 19 wickets this summer for Glamorgan in five matches with a best of 7/32. Paceman Mitchell Starc has failed to pick up more than 5.5 match wickets in 14 consecutive matches – he's 10/11 to fail to reach that mark again.
Indian seamer Mohammad Shami is another who could struggle to reach is O/U match wickets. Shami has failed to hit the O4.5 in 17 Test matches and has achieved the feat just once in 12 Tests in England –so the under is the play at 8/11. Ravindra Jadeja (15/2) is a solid bet for Top Bowler in the match – he has 11 wickets in two Test matches at The Oval and took 22 wickets in March's four match Test series in India.
As an overall bet, I'd also look a Marnus Labuschagne as Player of the Match at 9/1 - he has five wickets with the ball in the County Championship this season which could add value to his changes of an all-round solid performance.
