Cricket betting tips: Best bets for Australia vs Bangladesh and Sri Lanka vs India Tests
The World Test Championship returns this week, with Australia taking on Bangladesh in Darwin before India begin their two-Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Here, Sports News Blitz cricket betting expert Himanshu Sharma breaks down the best bets, value plays, and key betting angles ahead of this week’s matches.
Australia vs Bangladesh, first Test
Date and time: Thursday, August 13 at 1:30 am BST
Venue: Marrara Cricket Ground, Darwin
Australia head into their first Test against Bangladesh with a full-strength XI.
Skipper Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc form a formidable bowling attack.
Australia’s batting has plenty of experience too, with stalwarts such as Steve Smith leading the way.
Cameron Green and Jake Weatherald are under increasing pressure to deliver, though.
Bangladesh, on the other hand, face an uphill battle.
The tourists are sweating over fitness concerns for wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das and spinner Taijul Islam, two players who would be crucial to their chances of competing in unfamiliar conditions.
The gulf in quality is substantial and Australia should dominate.
Indeed, the hosts are overwhelming favourites at 1.01, with Bangladesh priced at 11.00 for an upset.
As a result, the player markets offer more interesting opportunities than the match result.
Darwin is hosting its first Test, making the pitch difficult to assess, but the groundsman expects a hard, consistent pitch with runs available that should favour Australia’s experienced batsmen.
Best bets:
Australia to win
Mitchell Starc to be Australia’s top bowler
Steve Smith to be Australia’s top batter
India vs Sri Lanka, first Test
Date and time: Saturday, August 15 at 5:30 am BST
Venue: Galle International Cricket Stadium
This will be India’s first red-ball series in Sri Lanka for nine years.
India will be without Jasprit Bumrah, leaving Mohammed Siraj to lead a relatively inexperienced pace attack.
Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav provide spin experience, but India could face a difficult selection call over their third spinner and the make-up of the pace attack.
Much will depend on captain Shubman Gill, who was outstanding in England last year, scoring 754 runs with four centuries, and followed that with another strong series against the West Indies.
However, India’s batting has shown a tendency to collapse under pressure, particularly against spin.
Sri Lanka have also been strong at home, winning four of their seven Tests since the start of 2024.
Dinesh Chandimal has been their standout batter during this period, while Prabath Jayasuriya has been the leading wicket-taker.
Galle is expected to provide slow, turning conditions that could test India’s batters, with Sri Lanka’s spin attack well equipped to exploit a deteriorating surface.
India begin their Sri Lanka series as favourites at 1.22, but the hosts look capable of making this a closely fought contest and are priced at 3.90 for an upset.
Best bets:
India to win
Dinesh Chandimal to be Sri Lanka’s top batter
Prabath Jayasuriya to be Sri Lanka’s top bowler
Shubman Gill to be India’s top batter
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