AUS v IND 2020-21: India have good chance of winning the Test series on "less venomous" Australian pitches - Ramiz Raja

Ramiz said a pandemic-hurt Cricket Australia will want surfaces which last the distance against India.

India won the Test series 2-1 on their last trip | GettyFormer Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja feels the Indian team stand a very good chance of repeating their Test series winning feat in Australia on the forthcoming trip considering the "less venomous" surfaces down under.

The cricketer-turned-commentator reckons with Cricket Australia (CA) heavily dependent on the lucrative Indian visit after enduring financial losses amid COVID-19 pandemic, they would want pitches that last the distance for maximum viewership and gate money. 

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Ramiz pointed out that this matter won't be helped at all by the complaints raised over the absence of Indian captain Virat Kohli from the last three Tests. 

"The pitches in Australia are no longer what they used to be some years back. I mean there is less bounce, sideways movement and they are less venomous," he said on 'Cricket Baaz' YouTube channel. 

"And I think Australia will want to have full five-day Tests against India for viewership figures given their requirements."

"There are already complaints in Australia about the absence of Virat Kohli after the first Test in Adelaide," Ramiz added. 

Yet, ensuring that each deck retains its life will be key for an Australian team that will want to avenge the series loss to India in the 2018-19 summer. 

"I think India has the batting line-up to tame Australia and plus the Indian bowling has improved a lot and they have a very good attack now and Australia will have this in mind," Ramiz said. 

One of his biggest admirers, Ramiz thinks India will definitely miss the services of Rohit Sharma during the white-ball leg. However, the high-class right-hander will have enough time to recover completely from his hamstring injury before the Test series beginning December 17. 

"Rohit is a match-winner and teams are scared of him. When teams huddle together before a batsman arrives at the crease like Sharma does it says a lot. Rohit's absence is a big loss to India," Ramiz said. 

(Inputs from PTI)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 19 Nov, 2020

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