Australia v Pakistan and South Africa v India Test predictions and cricket betting tips

Where to watch

Australia v Pakistan
TNT Sports 3, 11.30pm Monday

South Africa v India
Sky Sports Cricket, 8am Tuesday

Best bets

Saud Shakeel top Pakistan first-innings runscorer v Australia
TNT Sports 3, 11.30pm Monday
1pt 6-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

India to beat South Africa
Sky Sports Cricket, 8am Tuesday
2pts 6-4 Hills

Australia v Pakistan & South Africa v India predictions

Pakistan's 360-run defeat in the first Test in Perth extended their losing run in Australia to 15 matches and they are 14-1 outsiders for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

David Warner, who is set to retire from Test cricket at the end of the Australian summer, set up the victory with a first-innings 164 before Nathan Lyon took his 500th wicket and fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood routed Pakistan for 89 in the fourth innings of the match.

Number five Saud Shakeel top-scored with 24 in Pakistan's second innings and he warmed up for the Melbourne Test with an unbeaten 70 in a hastily arranged tour game against Victoria.

Shakeel made an impressive start to his Test career, scoring 37, 76, 63, 94, 23 and 53 in his debut series against England in December 2022.

He started 2023 with an unbeaten 125 against New Zealand in Karachi before an epic 208 not out against Sri Lanka in Galle in July and he looks a big price to top-score in the first innings for a faltering Pakistan batting unit.

India have never won a Test series in South Africa but Rohit Sharma's side should be backed to take a 1-0 lead in their two-match contest against the Proteas in Centurion.

They beat their hosts by 113 runs at SuperSport Park in December 2021 and a bowling attack including pacemen Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj and ace spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja gives them a good chance of another win in Centurion.

South Africa have fitness doubts over fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi while Anrich Nortje is sidelined with a back injury.

They rallied to beat India 2-1 in the 2021-22 series but had lost four of their previous five home Test series, against Australia, England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, and could be vulnerable against the World Test Championship runners-up.

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