Sunil Gavaskar feels that Virat Kohli and boys could take the series 4-0 or 3-1. In the last few tours to England, this might just be the best chance for India to win a series there, for the first time after 2007.
After 2007, India toured England three times (2011, 2014, and 2018), but failed to add another series win on English soil. India will take on England in the first Test on August 4 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
Sunil Gavaskar: India Will Win 4-0 Or 3-1 As Weather Will Be A Factor
The legendary cricketer batted for an India win by a 4-0 or 3-1 margin, depending on the weather, adding that the visitors would emerge victorious anyway as England is depleted and their batting brittle.
“My prediction is, if again this time I am making it contingent (on) to the weather… if the hot conditions are there, hot conditions are there for 22 out of possible 25 days, then I think India will win 4-0.”
“In case you have a situation where the weather is going to be a factor, then I think India will win 3-1, but I think India will still go on to win, because England is now a very depleted side, and their batting, as we saw in the series against New Zealand, is being brittle,” Sunil Gavaskar said ahead of the first Test.
One of the most sought-after battles will be between Virat Kohli and James Anderson, and Sunil Gavaskar is confident that the Indian will come out on top.
“Looking at the way Kohli adopted in 2018, looking at the way he was so certain around off-stump, his shot selection was so immaculate… “… I just think Anderson as a fast bowler getting three-year older and Virat Kohli getting three years more experienced, and I think batsmen are at their peak around this 28-33-34, I do believe that Virat Kohli will come out triumphs as he did in 2018,” said Gavaskar.
India has won a Test series in England thrice – in 1971 (under Ajit Wadekar’s captaincy), in 1986 (under Kapil Dev’s captaincy), and in 2007 (under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy).
Sunil Gavaskar: Great Incentive For Virat Kohli And Cheteshwar Pujara As Both Of Them Will Want To Score Runs To End Century Drought
Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara not being among runs could only serve as an incentive for them, according to Sunil Gavaskar. The likes of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara haven’t scored a Test hundred for a while but Sunil Gavaskar felt that would not play on their minds.
“I think it is a great incentive for both of them, both of them are run hungry batsmen, both of them want to get big hundreds. But I don’t think it is going to play on their minds,” he said.
“It doesn’t play on your mind, no batsman thinks that far ahead, a good/great batsman only thinks about the next ball, they don’t even think of the previous ball, and both these batsmen without doubt are very great players,” he signed off.
Virat Kohli, the India captain last scored a Test century in November of 2019. Although there was limited cricket in 2020, he did not hit a single hundred in the year, the first time that’s happened to him in 12 years.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s dogged approach certainly helped the Indian team during the Sydney and Brisbane Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
However, his inability to keep the scoreboard ticking at times allows the opposition to get on top. He had a dismal outing in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) against New Zealand. He scored eight runs off 54 balls in the first innings and following that with 15 off 80 deliveries in the second innings.
Cheteshwar Pujara last scored a century in the 2019 Sydney Test against Australia. In the 18 Tests he has played since then, the India No.3 has scored 841 runs at an underwhelming average of 28.03.