Can Virat Kohli cement India's favourites status?

India's thrilling victory in the first Test against Australia at Adelaide has thrown the cat among the pigeons. Virat Kohli's men had been quietly touted as favourites in the build-up to the tour, but they've now taken a massive leap towards their first series win in Australia.

According to Bet365, India are 4/7 to build on their 1-0 lead and close out the four-match series, with Australia already looking up against it at 9/2. The draw, at 11/4, splits the difference between the two sides.

And yet, the tables seem fractionally turned for the second Test, starting at Perth on Friday. On what is expected to be a pacey drop-in wicket at the Optus Stadium, which is hosting its maiden Test after the decommissioning of the WACA, Australia are 23/20 to bounce back with a victory, compared to India's 6/5. There's really nothing more than a splinter of willow between the two.

In terms of the players who will make the difference, however, it is a clear case of India's batsmen versus Australia's bowlers. Virat Kohli, who missed out in the first Test, is 7/1 to win the Man-of-the-Match award, ahead of Mitchell Starc (9/1) and Cheteshwar Pujara and Nathan Lyon (both 10/1).