Cricket

Australia vs India 2nd Test Tips - Australia to claw their way back into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with 2nd Test win

By Ben Darvill

12 Dec 2024

Ben Darvill 12 Dec 2024

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Australia vs India 2nd Test Tips & Predictions
India lead the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-0
Australia have won 30 of the 52 Tests between the sides in Australia

Travis Head of Australia (Getty Images)

Australia vs India 2nd Test Tips

Australia were crushed by 295 runs in the first match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as their batting lineup was obliterated by India's bowling.

Australia vs India 2nd Test Tips
Head To Head
Australia Form
India Form

The touring side managed to remedy their batting woes from the first innings in a brilliant comeback performance after being skittled for just 150.

Travis Head top scored for Australia in the match with 11 and 89 in the first and second innings
Australia have won 30 of their 52 Tests against India at home (L9, D13)
Jasprit Bumrah took eight wickets in the first Test

Head To Head

Australia lead their head to head against India at home 30-9 with 13 draws coming in this time.

Australia Form

Australia have to be better in the second Test. The home side's bowling attack had the Aussie fans dreaming of a big win to see them move 1-0 ahead after bowling the tourists out for 150.

However, their batting lineup was decimated by Jasprit Bumrah's stunning 5/30 that accounted for Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Alex Carey and Pat Cummins. For a side that bats incredibly deep, Australia were hammered as their top score came via Mitchell Starc's 26.

Looking for a big response, Australia's bowlers were hammered all round the park, with Mitchell Starc ending with figures of 1/111. The quick can hardly be completely blamed as India got on the front foot, Australia will need their strike bowler to get among the wickets this time round.

While both Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne know they need to be better in this one, my pick for top home batsman is Travis Head. Head showed real character in the fourth innings as he scored 89 from 101. While he has been susceptible to the short ball early in his innings, Head was one of the few Aussie batsman that stood up to be counted with the bat.

India Form

To go from being skittled for 150 in the first innings to winning a Test in Australia by 295 runs takes a very special team, and that is exactly what this touring side are.

India struggled against Josh Hazlewood (4/29) in particular, but they managed to shut up shop against him in their second innings, with Hazlewood ending with 1/28. India clearly learnt quickly, deciding to keep Hazlewood out as they targeted Starc instead.

Their first Test win was a full team performance for the travelling side, but Jasprit Bumrah took the headlines once again, and rightly so. The quick returned figures of 8/72 across the match as he kept taking wickets with thunderbolt deliveries. While Australia will put plans in place for Bumrah, he looks impossible to stop right now.

Verdict

I am backing Australia to bounce back and secure a vital win to level the series 1-1. Bumrah is our pick to be among the wickets again as the home side had no answers for him in the first Test.

The major plus for the Aussies was the form of Head, and I am backing him to score runs for his side once again.