Former India head coach Greg Chappell has said that Team India will depend heavily on their former skipper Virat Kohli in the upcoming four-match Test series against Australia. The Border-Gavaskar Test series will get underway next Thursday (February 9) in Nagpur.
India will start the series as slight favourites because of their recent domination over Australia in Tests especially at home. India have won the the previous three editions of the Border-Gavaskar series including two in Australia. They have also not lost a Test series against Australia at home since the 2004/05 season.
Greg Chappell, however, believes that India are vulnerable at home at the moment due to the absence of some key players like Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah before stating that they would rely heavily on Kohli.
Pant would miss the entire series as he recovers after being involved in a car accident . Bumrah, on the other hand, is close to making a return to action but would miss at least the first two Tests against Australia. Greg Chappell also said that Australia can win the forthcoming series.
“Australia can win this series. India are more vulnerable at home than they have been for some time due to injuries to key players like Rishbah Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah. They will rely heavily on Virat Kohli,” said Greg Chappell while speaking to The Age.
“Visiting teams are often fooled by a game that seems to be going nowhere but suddenly changes at a frenetic pace. The Indians are used to this, so Australia will need to adapt quickly with mind, bat and ball. Attrition takes a huge toll on touring teams. If India are in the contest on day five, they will win,” he added.
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