IND VS AUS 2023: India is leading the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) by 2-0 against Australia. Ravi Shastri suggested that a 4-0 win against the visitors in BGT will surely send a strong signal to the opposition in World Test Champions (WTC) final.
Team India needs to win at least three tests in the four test matches series to reach the WTC final, Rohit Sharma-led side will be up against Aussies for the third test match at Indore on 1st March.
Shastri said if India clean-sweeps Australia it will boost the morale of the India side for the WTC finals-
“A 4-0 win here psychologically does send a strong signal to the opposition. There will be an impact, but conditions are different as Australia will have their fast bowlers back as a lot of them are injured,but that psychological dent will make India believe that, even in those conditions, they’re good enough to upstage Australia,” said Shastri.
Former Indian head coach Shastri was with team India when they played the inaugural WTC final in 2021, Virat Kohli-led side lost the match by 8 wickets against New Zealand.
India are one win away from a foolproof place in the #WTC Final at The Oval ? #INDvAUS
? https://t.co/mFxFjtYVRb pic.twitter.com/rfRCMxb6Ht
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 19, 2023
“I think application (has let them down) more than anything else. The lack of belief in their own defence, the lack of application and the lack of discipline was unreal and Australia paid for it big time,” added former Indian cricketer.
The 60-year-old was replaced by his head coach post in November 2021 by BCCI, Rahul Dravid now heads the Indian cricket team. The veteran left-arm spinner played for Men in Blue during the 1982-1991 period, he was part of the squad of the 1983 ODI World Cup winning team.
Asian giants after winning the last test match have retained the BGT for four successive times, with the last two series win coming down under. The final of the second edition of WTC will be played at the London Oval from 7th to 11th June with a reserved day in place (12 June).