Australia favourites in India series, says vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane

The much-anticipated Test series between Australia and India will kick off at Adelaide Oval on Thursday and pundits are making all sorts of predictions over the outcome. According to many of them, India start as rare favourites in this series even if it is played Down Under. However, one personality attached to the game thinks that it is Australia who are favourites in the four-Test series and it is none other than the Indian vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane.

Two days ahead of the first match, he told the media that Time Paine’s men are still the favourites to bag the series even if they do not have the big names. The fact that they know the conditions really well and with history by their side it will certainly not be easy for Virat Kohli‘s team to beat the Aussies in the four-match series.

“I feel that any team that plays at home, they feel really good, and I feel that Australia are still the favourites to win the series. We are not going to take them lightly at all. Yes, they (will) miss Steve Smith and David Warner but I don’t think they are vulnerable,” the 30-year-old middle-order batsman told reporters in Adelaide on Tuesday.

Australia have a really good bowling attack

Even though experts have been praising the Indian bowlers, saying they are the best the side has had for ages, Rahane is of the opinion that even the Australian attack is not to be overlooked. “You see their bowling attack, they’ve got a really good bowling attack, and I think to win test matches, you need to have a really good bowling attack. So I feel that Australia are really still the favourites,” the Mumbaikar added.

India lost their last two overseas Test series in South Africa and England and it was the batsmen who failed them. Rahane’s own form has also been a concern. In England, he managed just two fifties in the five-match series while his last century outside Asia came in July 2016. In Australia, though, Rahane has an impressive average of 57 (his overall Test average is 41-plus) from four matches and has one ton under his belt (147 in Melbourne in December 2014).

One of Rahane’s emphasis in the upcoming series is to bat in pairs and stitch long partnerships.

Get the latest Cricket News and updates from Australia vs India series, Match Predictions, Fantasy Cricket Tips and lots more on CricTracker.com.