Former Australia cricketer Mark Waugh has predicted 0-4 whitewash for India in the ongoing four-Test series in Australia ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne Cricket Ground starting December 26.
The commentator further claimed that there is “no hope, no hope” for the Indian cricket team to make an inspiring comeback to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia this time around especially after a morale-crushing defeat in the first Day-Night Test in Adelaide.
He doesn’t think India will recover from the humiliating defeat in Adelaide, where they suffered an 8-wicket after recording their lowest ever Test total – 36 in the second innings of the pink-ball Test.
Well, things will be even more challenging for the tourists, as they will be taking mighty Australians without their captain Virat Kohli – who returns to India to attend the birth of his first child, and premier pacer Mohammad Shami – who is ruled out of the Test series with a broken arm, in the Test series.
India was already without their experienced speedster Ishant Sharma while Rohit Sharma is still serving the mandatory 14-day quarantine period in Australia – which would make them struggle for the right team combination in the remaining three Tests of the series in Australia.
Waugh told Fox Cricket: “I thought Adelaide was the Test that they could win on paper and with Virat Kohli here for just the one Test. I thought the conditions would suit them. I just can’t see how they can bounce back (after) Australia whitewashed them on the third day. So ‘no’ is the answer four-nil to Australia.”
Meanwhile, former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin also agreed with Waugh, saying where will the Team India take energy from since India’s biggest source of positive energy will not be there under the prevailing circumstances.
Haddin told Fox Cricket, “If they are going to get back into the game, what I want to know is where they’re going to get their energy from. Virat Kohli is gone now and a lot of the energy comes off the back of what he does. He’s a world-class player, he’s their leader.”
With Rohit expected to feature in the third Test in Sydney from January 7, the former cricketer said the opening batsman can be a key for India in Australia.
He concluded, “I would have a look at bringing someone in like Rohit Sharma. If he comes out of quarantine and he’s in good knick and he’s fit enough to play, I’d put him straight in because I think they need a senior player like that to take the anxiety out of everything and just get everyone thinking about cricket again.”
(With India Today Inputs)
