Former Australia captain Ian Chappell on Friday claimed that India will find it very difficult to beat the Aussies when they travel Down Under later this year. (More Cricket News)
"Australia [are] pretty hard to beat at home particularly with the attack they have got at the moment. It's a very very strong attack. The batting last time India were here [in Australia] wasn't so good," Chappell said on ‘Sony Ten Pit Stop’.
During the 2018-19 series, India managed to beat Australia in Australia for the first time in a Test series. Australia, at that time, were without the services of David Warner and Steve Smith.
But with the return of their two top batsmen, who served a respective one-year ban for their roles in the infamous ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, the Aussies will be an altogether different side.
Then, they also have one of the most lethal bowling units, making the series a clash between two serious attacks. India's attack would be spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, while Australia's pace attack would be led by world no.1 Pat Cummins. So it comes down to how India handle Warner and Smith.
"If India can keep getting [David] Warner and [Steve] Smith out cheaply, then India could win. If they don't get Warner and Smith cheaply, Australia will win," Chappell predicted.
If India manage to win again in Australia, it will be one of the rarest feats in world cricket.
Virat Kohli and Co. are scheduled to play four Tests in Australia in December-January, a series currently in doubt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But Cricket Australia is considering the prospect of turning the Test series into a five-game contest as it continues looking for ways to compensate for the financial losses caused by the pandemic.
Adding a fifth Test match in the series, which could be played in one city at a stadium without spectators, is one of the options discussed by the financially struggling CA.
India's tour of Australia will begin with a T20 tri-series in October and is scheduled to end with a four-match Test series in December.
In between, there is the T20 World Cup, scheduled for an October 18 start, but the mega event's future is also shrouded in uncertainty due to the global health crisis.
In the latest ICC Test rankings, Australia regained the world's No.1 status after overtaking India. However, they are placed second in the ICC World Test Championships points table, behind leaders India.
