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Test cricket betting: Australia in a spin, but don't write them off

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The task Australia faces in India is the second-toughest hurdle any team can come up against. But that doesn't mean they won't be up for the challenge, writes Andy Morris.

After the easiest of test series last time out - taking on Bangladesh at home - Australia now faces the no. 2 team in the world on their own soil.

But by any reasonable standard, India actually faces the toughest job in cricket in trying to beat Australia. Such are the contradictions of this series, no wonder the favourite option is to back the draw in the first test in Bangalore.

Much of the pre-match spotlight has been on the Australian bowling attack, for it is commonly believed that no team can hope to win in India without having one or two top-line spinners - something that ignores the fact that Shane Warne was never hugely successful there.

As such, it was certainly not the best news when Bryce McGain withdrew through injury. And Indian hopes were further boosted when Jason Krejza was dismantled by the Indian Board President's XI in the side's only serious warm-up.

Their stocks might be short, but they can call upon the likes of Cameron White who has experience of Indian conditions from his time with Royal Challengers in the IPL and might even go to batsman Michael Clarke to deliver a reasonable option with his slow left-arm.

Only four of the current Australian team have played a test in India, and Brett Lee is not among them. But Lee is sure to be key to his side's attack, and should not be underestimated.

It may be an inexperienced team which starts the first test, but that is not the problem it might be in other countries. Australia has so many talented and enthusiastic players who have been knocking on the door of the test team for a while, and now these players are to be given their chance and will relish it.

Australia also has a monkey off their backs having gone more than three decades without a series victory in India until they clinched the last series there 2-1 in 2004.

Ricky Ponting has shown himself vulnerable to spin early in his stay at the crease, and has been dismissed eight times by Harbhajan Singh, but he has put in the hard work ahead of this tour to prepare himself as well as possible. And can India really expect to remove the likes of Katich, Hayden, Hussey, Watson and Haddin twice to win the test? Hayden in particular has a great record in India, while Katich averaged 53.80 in the West Indies.

Australia did show in the game against the President's XI that they could be vulnerable to spin - nine of the 10 wickets fell to the turning ball. And Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh will test them to the full.

India's batsmen are not immune to form lapses, however, as they showed during the Test series in Sri Lanka.

Overall the record in tests in India shows 12 Australia wins to 11 for India and 12 draws.

That is another factor that suggests the series will be tight, and the sensible option is to go for the draw in the first test, available at 2.26.

Michael Hussey was in good form in the warm-up match and looks a reasonable proposition to be the top Australian batsman in the first innings, especially as Ponting is so much under pressure right now.

Sachin Tendulkar has an incredible record against Australia, with 2352 runs at an average of 56.00 including nine centuries. He must be the sensible option to top score for India in their first innings, and there will be plenty of money on India to score a century in their first innings.