However, Sanjay Manjrekar opined with the return of Steve Smith and David Warner, who were not part of the 2018-19 series, Australia will be a better team.
Sanjay Manjrekar. (File Photo: IANS)
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes that India’s bowling attack is competent enough to create history by helping the team win back-to-back Test series in Australia.
India, in their last tour of Australia in 2018-19, had registered their first-ever Test series win Down Under. However, Manjrekar opined with the return of Steve Smith and David Warner, who were not part of the 2018-19 series, Australia will be a better team than they were when India defaated them in 2018-19.
“Australia’s Test team will be stronger than it was on India’s previous tour. The experience of Smith and Warner will add muscle to the Aussie side but I believe India’s bowling attack is ready to have their names carved in the history of Indian cricket by winning a consecutive series Down Under,” Manjrekar was quoted as saying in a media release.
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Former fast bowler Zaheer Khan also agreed with Manjrekar and said: “Now with the return of Steve Smith and David Warner to the Australian side, the Indian team is definitely going to face a stiffer competition than their previous tour Down Under.”
However, he feels there won’t be any favourites going into the series as both sides have quality batting and bowling line-up in their squad.
“Australian pitches have always had good bounce and pace, so I think the area which will decide the ODIs, T20Is and Tests will be the bowlers and how well the team bowls as a unit to restrict the opponent to a lower total on the scoreboard,” Khan said.
India’s tour of Australia will kick off with the ODI series from November 27. It will be followed by the three-match T20I series from December 4 before the Virat Kohli-led team begins the title defence of the Border-Gavaskar trophy with the pink-ball Test in Adelaide from December 17.
The first Test at Adelaide will be India’s first day-nigt Test outside home soil. It will also be skipper Virat Kohli’s only appearance in all-whites in Australia this time as he would return to India on a paternity leave after the opener.
Kohli had already informed the BCCI about his wish to return to India to unite with his wife Anushka Sharma. They are expecting their first child in January next year.
The day-night Test will be followed by Tests at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (December 26), the Sydney Cricket Ground (January 7) and the Gabba (January 15).
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