India and Australia are all set to square off in a four-match Test series, the first of which takes place in Nagpur from 9-13 February. Both Australia and India are desperate for a series win and hence will look to win the first Test and get an early lead. But it won’t be an easy task for either team. Both India and Australia have selected a strong squad which makes up for an interesting game of cricket.
For any team to win the game, ticking off different boxes will be important. So, here is a stats-based prediction on which team has an upper hand ahead of the first Test and why.
1. Toss Prediction
Toss is crucial to win any Test match and the Nagpur Test will be no exception. As it gets harder and harder to bat on Indian pitches, captains winning the toss will look to bat first. But who is expected to win the toss in the first Test? Australia captain Pat Cummins has had luck favouring him significantly as he has won the toss on the last three occasions. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma has won two out of three tosses. So, Australia are expected to win the toss.
2. Win Possibility 
It will be a hard-fought game of cricket in Nagpur. Both India and Australia will try their best to win the Nagpur Test and go 1-0 up in the four-match series. India will be without Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shreyas Iyer. Meanwhile, Australia will miss the services of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Cameron Green (bowling).
Nevertheless, the two teams have got players who can easily step up to the challenge. But India have enjoyed a slight edge over Australia in the last few Tests. Also, as the Rohit Sharma-led team will be playing on their home soil, they are expected to win the first Test in Nagpur.
3. Average First inning score
The pitch at Nagpur is a typical subcontinent wicket where batters find it easy to score runs early in a game. But it starts to open up a bit as the game progresses and spinners come into play. As per the available stats, the average first-inning score here is 345.
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4. Betting Odds
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the author’s point of view. They neither reflect the opinion of SportsTiger nor advise anyone to make any prediction based on this. SportsTiger does not assume any responsibility and liability for the same.
