Former Australian skipper, Ian Chappell not able to figure it out but he is quite sure that Team India would be “missing” something in the Test series against Australia and will end up on the losing side despite the fact that that they are looking good on paper. The Test rivalry, which has risen in stature and intensity over the years, will be renewed with the latest assignment starting December 6 in Adelaide.
Australia would be missing the services of the premier players like Steve Smith and David Warner who were banned in the aftermath of the ball-tampering scandal that rocked the team earlier this year. As per the quotes in ESPNCricinfo, Chappell said, “I am going to pick Australia, but don’t ask me why I am picking them. I think the only reasonable reason I can give is that I was disappointed the way India played in England and I thought they should have won that series. The other thing is the Australian attack. It is a very good one. So it is pretty flimsy evidence but I am going to pick Australia.”
Chappell nonetheless expects the Indian skipper Virat Kohli to score heavily in the series. He said that he is looking forward to the competition between Australia’s fast bowlers and Virat Kohli. Last time he was here, Kohli played really well. Another positive for India, according to Chappell, is their pace bowlers, who did quite well in England.
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When asked about India coach Ravi Shastri’s recent assertions of this being the best traveling Indian team in the last 15 years, Chappell said there are reasons to agree with it to an extent.
Ian Chappell explained, “I think it is one of the better teams to come from India, and certainly, as far as the fast bowlers are concerned, they are better suited to Australian conditions than any other pace-bowling attack I have seen come from India. But while things look good on paper for India, that has got to be translated into the form on the field.”
On Australia, Chappell said that it would be surprising for him if they manage to put 350-plus totals on the board consistently. He also said that India will be handicapped significantly by the absence of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is out nursing a back injury.
Chappell said, “Because he was the balance to the team. If you had Pandya there under Australian conditions, he could perform as your third seamer and you could play two spinners in places like Adelaide and Sydney, where I think it is very handy to have five bowlers.”
