Former India batsman Virender Sehwag feels the hosts-led by Virat Kohli are in the role to thump Steven Smith’s Australia, in a bid to whitewash the struggling side 5-0, in the ongoing five-match one-day international series while revealing the visiting side are lacking to build-up on their strength in sub-continent conditions.
“The present Australian team lacks competitiveness and strength. I am confident Team India will win the series 5-0,” Sehwag told to India TV.
While throwing the light on bowlers, the flamboyant Ex-opener Sehwag reiterated the visitors are missing the combination of bowlers in the list while excluding the fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile, who picked so far six wickets in first two matches.
“The Australian team does not have good bowlers except Nathan Coulter-Nile,” Sehwag asserted.
Pertinently, the Australian bowlers have restricted formidable India under 300 in both the games, as they picked wickets in the first-half at Chepauk, before making a return in the second-half at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The 38-year-old cricketer-turned-commentator Sehwag, who has played a significant part for India particularly in Test and One-day international fold, believes the current Australian side lacks power while referring to their batting line-up.
The top-order batsman Sehwag reiterated the Smith’s both lack of competitiveness after Australian batting line-up collapsed twice in this series against a decent bowling attack.
The two newest inducted spinners; left-arm unorthodox spinner and Kuldeep Yadav and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal were the chief architects of the first two matches with the white ball, who went on to share ten wickets so far in the Paytm Series.
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The Delhi-born batsman Sehwag talked about the positive signs of India while revealing the secret of the strength has been the competition in the team which has eventually boosted the morale of the unit.
Sehwag stated the current India side is like the then Australia team led by former skipper Steve Waugh and Ricky Pointing.
“Team India presently seems to be as strong as Steve Waugh’s or Ricky Ponting’s Australian teams,” Sehwag concluded.
The positive for India has been its youngsters rising to the occasion, as Australia looked bleak with their batting line-up expect a couple of individual performances with the willow.
While concluding, Sehwag pointed out that India has to improve in the middle-order, in a bid to make it tougher for the opposition.
After making his debut in 2001, Sehwag played 251 ODIs, 104 Tests and 19 T20Is. He scored 8,586 runs in 180 innings and 8,273 runs in 245 innings of 50-over format. He smashed 23 hundreds in five-day format, and 15 in ODIs.