The former India captain thinks his nation have what it takes to beat Australia.
With the first Test between India and Australia in Chennai quickly approaching, much has been made of the lack of form from both sides.
Reports have suggested that Australia cannot cope with spin bowling and eyebrows have been raised at their decision to start with four seam bowlers.
Former captain of both the Indian Test and one-day sides, Rahul Dravid, believes that India will edge the contest and that Australia are simply lacking experience and don’t have the quality to out-bowl the Indians.
“I am not sure that Australia have the kind of quality and experience to be able to do that [out-bowl India], unless they can unearth a brilliant cricketer from the ones we have seen,” Dravid told ESPN.
“People like Nathan Lyon and Xavier Docherty, we’ve seen them before.”
“Australia might struggle to get India in trouble, even on turning tracks in these conditions.”
Dravid’s concerns over the match-winning abilities of Australia’s spinners may be justified, as the Aussies have opted for just the one spin bowler – Nathan Lyon – in the humid conditions, despite Shane Watson, who was one of their spinning options, deciding to give up bowling.
The batsman who played over 100 Tests for India, doesn’t think this is one of the strongest sides India have ever fielded, but he still marks them as favourites in their own conditions.
“If they [Australia] can get into the middle order and get a couple of their senior batsmen early at the start of the series, India could be distracted by a lot of things,” Dravid said.
“But India, I think, would still be favourites.”
The first Test of the four match series starts in Chennai on Friday.
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