Won’t be easy for India in next Australia tour: Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar, the former Indian cricketer, feels that the national team won’t have the easiest time on its upcoming tour of Australia later this year. Last time around in 2018-19, Virat Kohli became the first Indian skipper to win a Test series Down Under. India scripted history, winning by 2-1 with victories at the Adelaide Oval and the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

However, Gavaskar believes that next time around, India need to play out of their skin to win back-to-back Test series on Australian soil. As per Gavaskar, the return of David Warner and Steve Smith won’t be making it any easier for the visiting team.

“I think there will be some changes in Team India this time. There will be bounce on the pitch but batting won’t be difficult after few overs with the new ball. With Steve Smith and David Warner in the side, surely, it won’t be easy for India to win,” Gavaskar was quoted as saying in Dainik Jagran.

Both Smith and Warner returned to the Test side in the 2019 Ashes after the tampering scandal back in March 2018. Smith turned out to be the leading run-scorer of the series by a country mile even after missing one Test due to concussion. On the other hand, Warner had a rather tough time, being dismissed by speedster Stuart Broad on quite a few instances.

Australia will do their homework on Bumrah: Sunil Gavaskar

But the southpaw returned to form with a thunderous triple-century against Pakistan in Adelaide back in November 2019. He was set even for a 400, but Tim Paine declared the innings.

Gavaskar also said that the hosts would be chalking out plans to counter the venom of Jasprit Bumrah. “Australian batsmen will also do homework on Jasprit Bumrah and others,” he added. The fast bowler was the joint-highest wicket in their previous Test series.

He along with Pat Cummins picked up 21 wickets, though Bumrah had a better average and strike-rate. But Bumrah’s form in 2020 has been bit of a concern. He returned in the Sri Lanka T20Is in January after recovering from a back injury, but has looked a tad off colour ever since.