India v Australia second ODI preview: India aim to wrap up another home series victory

bet365 News Team Published: 18 Mar 23 11:53

India won a low-scoring first ODI against Australia at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on Friday and the hosts look set to chalk up a victory in the second encounter that would seal the series.

This three-match series is an important part of both teams' preparation for the 50-over World Cup, which starts in October.

Tournament hosts India are 11/5 to lift the trophy but they will face stiff competition from 4/1 Australia and defending champions England, who are 3/1.

What	India v Australia, 2nd ODI
Where	Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy International Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam, India
When	08:00, Sunday 19th March
How to watch	BT Sport 3
Odds	India 8/15, Australia 6/4

Pace aces bounce back in first ODI

Spinners dominated the recent Test series between these teams, which India won 2-1, but fast bowlers took centre stage on a lively pitch at the Wankhede in the first ODI.

Australia's Mitchell Marsh, promoted to open with David Warner still working his way back to full fitness, cracked 81 off 65 balls with 70 of his runs coming in boundaries.

However, his dismissal sparked a collapse from 129-2 to 188 all out and India quicks Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj finished with combined figures of 6-46.

What should have been a straightforward run-chase for the home side was complicated by Mitchell Starc, who picked up three early wickets including the big one of Virat Kohli, reducing India to 39-4.

KL Rahul (75 not out) stopped the rot with support from Hardik Pandya (22) and Ravindra Jadeja (45 not out) and India are 8/15 to follow up their five-wicket win in Mumbai with a victory in Visakhapatnam.

Just eight sixes were hit in the first ODI and five of them came from the bat of Aussie opener Marsh, who is 6/1 to be the Player to Score Most Match 6s on Sunday.

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Classy Gill should put scratchy opening effort behind him

India have a formidable home record in ODI cricket, winning 13 of their last 14 series with the only reverse coming against Australia in 2019.

They had to dig deep in the opening game but should welcome back captain Rohit Sharma for the second ODI and he is 8/11 to beat 11/10 Shubman Gill in the Batter Matches (Most Runs) market.

Gill made a scratchy 20 at the Wankhede on Friday but he has shown his class in all three formats recently and is worth backing to outscore his fellow opener Sharma.

The 23-year-old is living up to his billing as India's next batting superstar, scoring 128 in the fourth Test against Australia in Ahmedabad and smashing 126 not out off 63 balls in his most recent T20 innings against New Zealand in February.

Gill's 50-over returns this year have been spectacular too, with scores of 70, 21, 116, 208, 40 not out and 112 in six ODIs against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, and he is 7/2 to be India's Team - Top Batter with Kohli 13/5 and Sharma 3/1.

Australia youngster could overshadow senior colleagues

The Australia Team - Top Batter market is an interesting puzzle for punters as, on paper at least, they have dangerous hitters all the way down their order.

That didn't prevent a damaging collapse in the first ODI but wicketkeeper Josh Inglis and all-rounders Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis will be eager to make amends with the bat on Sunday.

Steve Smith is 3/1 to top-score for the tourists, having made 21, 94, 80 not out, 105 and 61 against England and New Zealand in his last five ODIs before this series.

Smith's 50-over record against India is also outstanding, with three centuries and a 98 in his last six innings, and he is clearly respected in this market.

However, it may be worth taking a punt on 18/1 chance Green, who came in at number six on Friday and was bowled for 12 by a sharp delivery from Shami.

Like India's Gill, Green appears to have the cricketing world at his feet. He scored his first Test century in this month's fourth Test in Ahmedabad and pulverised India's bowlers with knocks of 61 off 30 balls and 52 off 21 in last year's T20 series.

Those innings at the top of the order helped the youngster earn a life-changing contract with Mumbai Indians for this season's Indian Premier League and he has already proved he can win ODIs for Australia from the middle-order.

He came in at 44-5 against New Zealand in Cairns last September and steered his side to a two-wicket victory, finishing unbeaten on 89, so he is worth a small bet at a big price to top-score on Sunday.