India vs Australia: IND vs AUS Nagpur Test: On barren, dusty Indian pitches, one would pick Nathan Lyon to be the primary weapon for Australia. Not Sunil Gavaskar. The Indian batting legend still believes despite the hullabaloo around spinners, it will be Australian pacers like Pat Cummins who will dictate the series instead of spinners. Follow IND vs AUS LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
“If memory serves right, the first time he took a five-wicket haul was in the subcontinent. Being the top bowler that Lyon is, he will always be attacking and probing. But the real threat is likely to be the pacers Cummins is a terrific bowler and, as we have seen in the past,” Sunil Gavaskar told The Telegraph.
India vs Australia: Not Nathan Lyon, Sunil Gavaskar picks Pat Cummins as REAL THREAT to Rohit Sharma’s World No 1 aspirations before Nagpur Test, Check OUT
While India have navigated through Australian pacers — sometimes successfully, sometimes abysmally — it is advantage India in the series. The one big reason is the absence of Josh Hazlewood. Cummins’ partner will miss the 1st Test with an injury. Gavaskar believes his absence is an advantage for India in Nagpur. Add to Australia’s injury woes, Cameron Green is also missing the 1st Test. He is yet to recover from his finger injury.
“When the Australians are successful, it is their pace attack that has done the damage. With Josh Hazlewood likely to miss the first Test with an injury, the advantage could well lie with India,” Gavaskar said.
How do the world’s top-two Test batters plan to score runs in India? 🤔 #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/jpcaXV4VrK
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 7, 2023
What is Sunil Gavaskar’s prediction for the series? – The Little Master doesn’t want to predict the outcome of the series just yet. India might have won their last three series against Australia and haven’t lost against the Kangaroos since 2004 at home but they are coming here as World No 1. Hence, Gavaskar says, “you cannot predict” although India will be favourites.
“Both are superb teams and in cricket, you cannot predict. But, as always, the home side starts with an advantage with the crowd support, awareness of ground, weather and pitch conditions,” Gavaskar said.
Kuldeep Yadav could be game-changer – Even though India are yet to finalise their bowling combination for Nagpur Test, Gavaskar has tipped leggie Kuldeep Yadav as the game-changer. India are likely to go with 3 spinners in Nagpur with Axar Patel as the 3rd spinner. But considering Kuldeep bagged a fifer against Bangladesh, he will be in contention for a spot.
“Kuldeep has bowled quite superbly in the white-ball game in recent times and his confidence will be very high. Eventually, every wrist-spinner has to have the confidence of the skipper and if Kuldeep has the confidence of his captain, then he could be a game-changer,” Gavaskar said.
India vs Australia: Not Nathan Lyon, Sunil Gavaskar picks Pat Cummins as REAL THREAT to Rohit Sharma’s World No 1 aspirations before Nagpur Test, Check OUT
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