India’s upcoming Test series against New Zealand and Australia present a crucial opportunity for the team to secure a historic series hat-trick Down Under. Former Australian captain Ian Chappell believes that the fitness and form of Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant will be paramount to India’s success.
Bumrah, India’s pace spearhead, has been managing his workload effectively since recovering from a lower back stress fracture surgery in August 2023. His fitness and form will be essential in Australia, where he will be expected to lead the bowling attack.
Pant, the wicketkeeper-batter, has made a remarkable comeback to the Test scene after his horrific car accident. His ability to bounce back and perform at his best will give India a major boost. Pant’s wicket-keeping skills are particularly crucial on bouncy Australian pitches, where he can cover a lot of territory and allow the slip fielders to spread wider.
Chappell also highlights the importance of Mohammed Siraj, who was one of the most successful pace bowlers on India’s last Australian tour. The presence of a good left-arm paceman, such as Kuldeep Yadav, would also improve India’s variety in attack.
In the batting department, Chappell believes that Yashasvi Jaiswal has had a good start to his Test career but needs to show good form in Australia. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should act as guiding lights for the younger batters on tour.
India’s spin bowling is in good hands with Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. However, Chappell believes that Mohammed Shami’s fitness will be crucial for the series.
