Team India’s highly-anticipated Test tour of Australia is all set to get underway on November 22 in Perth. The two teams are slated to square off in a five-match series for the first time in over three decades.
Ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, former cricketer-turned-commentator Ravi Shastri named two players each from Australia and India who he feels could influence the series outcome
Talking about the visitors, Shastri backed young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal to be the X-factor for the side.
“Jaiswal at the top because if he gets in, he can be devastating. You know he plays spin very well, he plays at his own tempo, he's got all the shots in the book,” Shastri said on the recent episode of The ICC Review.
The former India head coach mentioned Jaiswal’s back-to-back double hundreds (209 and 214*) against England in Vizag and Rajkot to highlight that the southpaw has hunger to do well in big games.
“He's an entertainer so if he gets in as we've seen in his career already you know he has the ability to get the big scores. You don't hit two consecutive double hundreds you know just like that, you've got to have the hunger you have to have the quality and the ability," he added.
Moving towards the bowling department, Shastri picked India’s ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah as the player who will lead the charge during the series.
Bumrah was the chief architect of India’s last two Test series wins Down Under. He has played seven Tests in Australia so far, claiming 32 scalps at a remarkable average of 21.25, including one five-wicket haul.
“I think Jasprit, no question,” Shastri said. “Because he's the best fast bowler in the world. There's no question about that. And likewise for Australia, will be (Pat) Cummins (who will dominate).”
“These are the top two bowlers who are on either side. And you'd expect him at this stage of his career, where at times he makes the ball talk, to be the highest wicket-taker," he further remarked.
From Australia’s perspective, Shastri believes skipper Cummins would be the most formidable challenge for the Indian team. He also added that the tourists should not underestimate veteran spinner Nathan Lyon.
“Pat Cummins will be at you. He's relentless. I mean, don't take your eye off Nathan Lyon because he has a fantastic record against India, both at home and away," Shastri said.
“So he'll be someone to watch but Pat Cummins, because if Australia have to damage early doors and then later on, it will be Cummins.”
Over the years, Steve Smith has dominated the Indian bowlers in the longest format. In 19 Tests against India, he has amassed 2042 runs at an impressive average of 52.50, including nine hundreds and five half-centuries.
Smith’s form may have slumped in recent months, but Shastri picked the right-hander as the batter India needed to be wary of.
“Steve Smith because of his experience, because of his past record and he's at that stage of his career where he needs a challenge,” Shastri said.
“He needs a challenge and I think he'll be up for it. It could be his final series against India, so that's another way to look at it. And just seeing his form in that couple of games against Pakistan makes me think in that fashion.”
Ravi Shastri, who was the coach of the Indian team that won the Test series in Australia in 2018/19 and 2020/21, also compared Smith’s position to Indian star Virat Kohli.
“And it's again, with these players, the Kohlis, the Smiths, it's how you start. In the first three innings of the series, if he gets away with 100, then they'll keep badgering you.”
“I think India will have to come hard, they'll have to be tight and they'll have to keep the pressure on. They have to be relentless with Smith early,” he concluded.
(With ICC Inputs)
