Sunil Gavaskar predicts India's victory in Test series against Australia
What's the story
Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has forecasted a 3-1 victory for India in the forthcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Indian team is set to tour Australia for a five-match Test series later this year, aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive away series win. In his column for mid-day, Gavaskar highlighted Australia's batting vulnerabilities as a potential advantage for India.
Batting woes
Australia's batting concerns post-Warner's retirement
The upcoming Test series will be Australia's first without their star opener David Warner, who retired earlier this year. Gavaskar pointed out that Australia's opening batting problems have been exacerbated by Warner's retirement and the middle-order also looks a bit dodgy. "The Aussies are ripe for the taking once again," he stated in his column, indicating India could exploit these weaknesses during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Tour challenges
Gavaskar warns about India's slow start in overseas series
Gavaskar also warned about the potential challenges facing the Indian team due to a lack of "proper First-Class" games during the tour. He noted that India have traditionally been slow to start in an overseas series in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries and emphasized that the first Test will be crucial. "That they aren't playing proper FC games before that as well as in the week long gaps between some Tests could work against them," he wrote.
Schedule impact
Gavaskar acknowledges impact of hectic cricket schedule
Gavaskar acknowledged the impact of a hectic cricket schedule on the Indian team's preparation for the upcoming series. He cited the example of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who struggled in South Africa last year due to a lack of proper first-class games but bounced back brilliantly with over 700 runs against England at home. Despite these challenges, Gavaskar remains optimistic about India's performance in the upcoming series against Australia.