India v West Indies Second Test Tips: Back Rahul century at 4/1 and two more tons

• India 1.061/18 before the toss to win second Test

• Innings runs and in-play strategy for West Indies batting
• Hope-Chase pairing best hope for Windies
• Delhi surface expected to take spin later on

• Three home batters to follow for tons up to 4/15.00

India v West Indies
Friday 10 October, 05.00
TV: Live on TNT

India v West Indies Second Test team news

India selection will once again centre on whether the pitch takes significant spin. In the first Test, India used three spinners with Nitish Kumar Reddy ready to back up if required as the extra pacer.

The succcess by an innings and 140 runs was big enough to suggest that no changes are needed. But if extreme turn is expected one might reckon that Reddy will step away for Axar Patel.

Sai Sudharsan might be under pressure after another failure followed his in-out tour of England in the summer. Dev Padikkal could get a run now. 

Possible India XI: Jaiswal, Rahul, Sai, Gill, Jurel, Jadeja, Sundar, Reddy, Kuldeep, Bumrah, Siraj

West Indies managed scores of 162 and 146 in game one. Hardly surprisingly for a limited batting outfit which is shorn (for reasons unknown) of one of its best operators in Kavem Hodge. There is no Kraigg Brathwaite who at least brought knowledge of all conditions given his vast experience.

Roston Chase and Shai Hope in the middle order appear to be their best hope of showing some stickability. All-rounder Justin Greaves is crucial as the fulcrum between batsmen and bowlers. Right-arm quick Johann Layne made his debut in the absence of Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph. 

Possible West indies XI: Campbell, Chanderpaul, Athanzae, King, Chase, Hope, Greaves, Pierre, Warrican, Seales, Layne

India v West Indies Second Test pitch report

Reports from Delhi suggest a black soil pitch will be used for game two. That could mean big runs up front before deterioration brings the spin bowlers to the fore. It is expected to be vastly different from the surface used for the first match which saw Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj exploit one of the greenest tracks seen in India in recent years.

The last Test played in Delhi saw Australia beaten inside three days in 2023. Australia had a one-run lead going into the third after posting 262 but were rolled for 113. Ravi Jadeja took seven wickets and Ravi Ashwin three.

As stated in the preview for the first Test, getting against West Indies runs is the obvious ploy. But the markets are wise to this. They are prohibitively short in terms of runs quotes so the best option is to play extreme unders for cheap lays. There should be value in going unders 120,130 and 140.

For a clue as to what we're dealing with, Betfair Sportsbook go over/under 14.5 runs for West indies' first wicket. There's a natural inclination to go against the tide and plays overs but doing so perhaps with the Hope-Chase axis is the best option, admittedly you would be paying a little higher.

In-play, we wait for any semblance of a partnership. Thiry or forty runs should do it. Then it can be a question of choosing the market which suits best. That might be going under the fall of the next wicket with Sportsbook at the 5/61.84 mark or checking the total innings runs market on the Exchange.

Don't be afraid to be patient. If the Delhi pitch is at its best early on, there's nothing wrong with waiting for a third- or fourth-innings short. The reverse is true for India. We would dearly love a double wicket burst from West Indies and then go against the tide on partnerships and total runs. 

India v West Indies Second Test match prediction

India are just 1.061/18 for the win on the Betfair Exchange with the draw 28.027/1 and West Indies 42.041/1. Given that 50.049/1 was available for the visitors and India were actually slightly bigger, betting heat is plummeting.

Much could be made about such a big price about the outsider in a three-horse race. Surely West Indies could take a big bite out of the price for a back-to-lay? Well, they didn't in the first Test as they spectacularly failed to even get a fingerhold on the game.

It really should be a procession for India, particularly if the bat first. Their dominance means we look at how for Test Match End markets with days one-three expected to be close to even money. Also check Sportsbook for India victory speicals.

India v West Indies Second Test player bets

Milestone betting is the best approach again for India's batters in the first innings. KL Rahul, a centurion in the first, Yas Jaiswal and Shubman Gill will all have appeal at 4/15.00, 7/24.50 and 7/24.50 respectively. Splitting stakes at 0.5pts each isn't the worst idea in the world.

For West Indies, Sportsbook are alive to the fact that 30 or 40 wins their top first-innings runscorer market. As a result there's no value with even Jayden Seales slashed to 55s. 

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