The World Test Championship Final between Australia and India gets underway at The Oval, London on Wednesday and the Aussies start as the bookmakers favourites.
This is a one off contest and let's start with the team news.
Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out for Australia who will select from the following squad.
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Michael Neser
KL Rahul is out injured for India and at the time of writing Jaydev Unadkat was a doubt but he remains in the squad.
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk).
Recent Form
Australia
Australia were in India for a 4 match series in February and March this year and they were beaten 2-1, losing the fist 2 tests (an innings and 132 runs and then 6 wickets), winning the third (by 9 wickets) and the fourth match was drawn.
Australia won a 3 match series at home to South Africa over Xmas and new year. They won the first contest by 6 wickets and the second by an innings and 182 runs before the third and final test was drawn.
India
Prior to the aforementioned series win over Australia India won both test matches in their series in Bangladesh in December by margins 188 runs and then 3 wickets.
They lost to England in Birmingham by 7 wickets in July last year.
The Betting - World Test Championship Final - Risk Free First Bet Up to R2,000 back if you don't win
At the time of writing Australia are 9/10 to win the match with the draw at 9/2 and India are 16/10
Virat Kohli is 5/2 favourite to top score for India in the first innings and Steve Smith is 11/4 to do likewise for Australia
Note all prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
The Verdict
Australia have the Ashes to come after this and conditions may well be in their favour and although the Oval is hosting this test early in the English summer, I fancy they will have India on the back foot.
Elsewhere the loss of Hazlewood opens the door for Pat Cummins to grab my attention as top first innings bowler for Australia.
Bets: Australia to win at 9/10 with Sportingbet
Australia top 1st innings wicket taker, Pat Cummins at 9/4 with Sportingbet
Risk Free First Bet Up to R2,000 back if you don't win
Note all prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
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