Former Team India cricketer Gautam Gambhir wants the visitors to exploit Australia’s vulnerable batting order in Sydney to take an unassailable lead in the series. Incidentally, the Border-Gavaskar series is currently tied at 1-1 after India scripted a historic comeback in the Boxing Day Test.
The current Australian batting has looked in tatters with Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne struggling to hit the form. In the absence of David Warner in the first two Tests, Joe Burns has looked completely out of place before he was shrugged off for the last two games while Matthew Wade gave starts but failed to play big knocks.
India can win the series – Gautam Gambhir
The middle-order also looked wobbly as Travis Head never really got going which is testimony that Australia have the highest score of only 200 so far in the ongoing series. As the batting-order looks vulnerable despite the return of ‘unfit’ David Warner, Gautam Gambhir wants Indian bowlers to use this to their advantage.
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“We have a chance against Australia. If you look at the top four batting line-up of the world, I think it’s the weakest batting line-up. England is better than Australia, New Zealand is better than Australia and India is much better than Australia,” Gautam Gambhir was quoted as saying by ANI.
Meanwhile, India have been marred with a barrage of injuries in this series. After losing Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the start of the tour, they lost Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav in the first and second Test respectively. Gautam Gambhir believes if India had their main attack, they would have blown apart the Aussies and recorded back-to-back series wins down under.
Although they lack their first-choice pacers, the youngsters have shown pedigree under the leadership of Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin. Both of them were seen talking to Mohammed Siraj, who debuted in the Boxing Day Test, guiding him throughout the match. Gambhir feels this line-up can also lead India to a series win against the Tim Paine-led side.
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“I haven’t seen this kind of Australian batting line-up in my life. So, vulnerability is there. They haven’t played India’s main attack. If Shami, Ishant, and Umesh Yadav were fit then there would have been no reply from the Australians. So, there is a big possibility and chance that we can win this series,” he added.
Mohammed Siraj removes David Warner early
Meanwhile, speaking of the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, India made a thumping start before rain halted actions. Mohammed Siraj removed David Warner early as the hosts reel at 21 for 1 before untimely showers stopped play.