The upcoming four-match Test series between India and Australia that gets underway from December 3 this year will be the litmus test for both the sides, supposedly two of the best teams in the traditional format of the game.
Last time in 2018-19, India registered a historic 2-1 series win against the home side. But, the argument is often levelled that India’s triumph came against the team devoid of two of their most crucial players. Both David Warner and Steve Smith were serving ball-tampering ban in the last series.
Former Indian batsman Gautam Gambhir believes that Indian pace battery has enough firepower to rattle Australian batsmen, including Smith and Warner.
“Because India has got the bowling attack to rattle the Australian batting line-up even with David Warner and Steve Smith, but yeah, it’s going to be a different challenge than what it was last time around,” Gambhir said on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’.
“So, you would want Virat Kohli to fire plus the bowlers as well because it’s the bowlers that will win you the Test matches,” he added.
Virat Kohli and his men would be desperate to replicate the performance and clinch a second consecutive victory to silence the doubters. Although with Smith and Warner back in the squad, this would surely be a different challenge for the tourists, according to Gambhir.
“Whether it was his first tour, whether it was the second tour, this time around, obviously, he would be gearing up for it because it’s going to be a different challenge with David Warner and Steve Smith coming back into the Australian Test line-up,” Gambhir, who was part of the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup-winning teams, concluded.
