The legendary leg-spinner, Shane Warne termed India has firm favorites for the upcoming Test series in Australia because the hosts are having a tough year. Australia has struggled to get back to their form across the three formats in 2018, while the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in March led to suspensions of three players and further off-field repercussions.
As the team continues to rehabilitate its image in the cricketing world, Warne reckons India has a huge opportunity to profit over the coming weeks. He said, “It’s just another Test series, another big Test series in Australia. But if you think about the year 2018 that Australia has had, it’s been an ordinary one, probably one of the worst they’ve ever had for Australian cricket, so let’s hope they can play well in the Twenty20 series and beat India in the Test series.”
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He further added, “But I think India has got their best ever a chance of beating Australia, here in Australia, that they’ve ever had, and I put them as favorites. It doesn’t mean they’re going to win but I think they’re going to be favorites. I don’t think they’ve ever been favorites here in Australia in a Test series but Australia aren’t playing that great at the moment and India are the best side in the world in Tests, so it’s going to be tough for the Aussies.”
Australia won the first Twenty20 clash on Wednesday and the bowling legend feels that the hosts must continue to make steps towards following the fallout from the ball-tampering fiasco. Then skipper Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner were both banned for 12 months for their involvement in the incident during the tour of South Africa in March, while batsman Cameron Bancroft was handed a nine-month suspension.
Describing the same Warne said, “I think the Australian cricket team probably have to earn the respect back of the cricket community and the public, but that will happen over time and the way they play the game.”
Warned feels that the people are just expecting the team to play in the right spirit but in the Australian way, which includes being tough, uncompromising, and fair at the same time.
