Srinagar, December 12: After having shared One Day International and T20 series in first leg of the tour, both hosts Australia and visitors are looking forward to important Test series.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan believes that India is going to suffer 4-0 defeat in the series in absence of its star skipper Virat Kohli.
India beat Australia 2-1 in the Test series in their previous tour in 2018-19. They became the first Asian country to win a Test series Down Under.
“India two years ago were too strong for Australia in Australian conditions. They were terrific. The bowling attack of Bumrah, Shami, Ishant and Ashwin, the Wall Pujara, he was the rock in the Indian batting lineup. They were just too good for the Aussies. The main reason I believe they were too good was that there was no Smith, no Warner, no Labuschagne. The Australians are now a better Test match team. They held on to the Ashes in England. Tim Paine is improving as a Test-match captain,” Vaughan told Cricbuzz.
India played their first and only pink-ball game against Bangladesh in 2019 which they won by an innings and 46 runs. Whereas Australia have played 7 day-night Tests and won all of them. The lack of experience could be the biggest challenge for the visitors in Adelaide.
Vaughan suggested that if India lose the first game, then there will be no coming back for them as Virat Kohli will be unavailable in the last three games. Australia will win 4-0, he suggested.
“India will have to see off that trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood and Pat Cummins, they have to nullify that the kookaburra new ball. If not, Australia will prove to be too strong and powerful. The pink ball Test is the key to the series. If Australia, as they generally do in the Adelaide Day-Night Test, they have never been beaten with the pink ball. If Australia win that Test match and then India lose Virat Kohli for the next three, this could be 4-0 for Australia,” said Vaughan.
Vaughan pointed out that the absence of David Warner could help India up to some extent. But there are bigger challenges to deal with.
“David Warner missing the first Test gives India a little bit of hope. There is a little bit of confusion about who will open the batting for Australia in Tests. Will Pucovski has been concussed. But that Smith-Labuschagne combination and Travis Head getting better. Also, I don’t see many batting units that will consistently get big scores in Australia against this Australian attack. That is why 4-0,” Vaughan added further.