The marquee four-match Test between Australia and India is scheduled to commence within a week and hence every cricketing pundit is revealing their predictions for the final outcome. While the history and previous record is against the Indian team, their recent evolution, form and the troubles of the hosts goes in the visitors’ favor. South African pacer Dale Steyn who recently made a comeback to ODI cricket has also predicted the winner.
Recently, a lot of experts have predicted the series and very few of them think that this Australian team without Steve Smith and David Warner will stand a chance against this Indian team under the leadership of charismatic Virat Kohli. The visitors’ pace attack is expected to come hard at the undercooked Aussie batsmen and thus gives them a higher probability of success. However, Steyn has a different perspective.
Steyn has gone with the Aussies given the history of the rivalry. He also thinks the Indian team that traveled to South Africa and England this year would be tired and thus might find it difficult to produce a favorable result. As quoted in cricket.com.au., Steyn said, “I’d probably go with Australia, just in terms of history against India. The amount of touring they (India) have had this year, the guys might be a bit tired.”
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Team Indian lost 2-1 to South Africa and 4-1 to England but one can’t have an idea of the effort of the Indian team after reading the scorelines of those. Ahead of the England tour while most thought the home team will struggle to sustain Steyn had put his money on the hosts. He did admit that he was surprised by the quality in their pace attack.
Steyn explained, “Even in England, I put my money on England to beat India in England, but India pushed them. I thought that England’s bowling would be the thing that pipped India, but India’s bowling really surprised me and if they continue in that vein they could cause some trouble down here.”
The fiery pacer also emphasised on the fact that if India wants to be successful Down Under, Kohli needs to score the runs for the team to do well and the South African great is certain he will.
Steyn said, “It’s going to be an interesting Test series, and if Virat (Kohli) score runs and we know Virat always scores runs — India will do well.”
