Former Team India skipper and legendary batsman Rahul Dravid has sent strong warning to Team India regarding Steve Smith and David Warner when India tours Australia later this summer.
In 2018-19 Test series Virat Kohli-led Indian team became first Indian side to beat Australia in Australia and win the series.
But that time home side were without the duo of Smith and Warner. The absence of duo has always led to questions being raised about fate of series if duo would have been part of the team.
Now Rahul Dravid believes it could become a stiffer challenge for Kohli & co when they tour Australia later this year.
“I think it’s going to be a great series. Especially after India won last time, it was a fantastic win for India. So they (Australia) will be keen to correct that and there has been a lot of talk about that. It is the marquee series of the year and there has been great build up. I am really hoping we will be back to normal or at least normal enough to play the series,” Dravid said at Sony Sports’ Ten Pit Stop show which was aired Live on their Facebook page.
“It should be a cracking series between two top class teams. Australia are back to full strength with Smith and Warner. I think the area Australia struggled last time was their batting, they kept collapsing. Never gave their bowlers enough time to rest and they would hope it doesn’t happen this time,” he added.
Dravid further said that India’s bowling attack has tremendously improved in the past couple of years, and it would be a great contest between the bowlers and the batsmen.
“Missing Smith and Warner was big for Australia because of the kind of impact they have on the team. They are the best batsmen they have and score the maximum runs. You saw the kind of impact Smith had on the Ashes…It is going to be a bigger and stiffer challenge this time around. India has got the firepower to compete with that. They have some top players too,” he added.