Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his views on India’s chances in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. While acknowledging India’s recent dominance over Australia in Test cricket, Gavaskar believes that a 4-0 victory for India in Australia is unlikely.
Gavaskar emphasized that India’s focus should be solely on winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, rather than on qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. He stated, “Don’t talk about the World Test Championship final. Now just focus on trying to win the series in Australia.”
Gavaskar’s prediction is based on the formidable nature of the Australian team in their home conditions. He believes that India can realistically aim for a 3-1 victory, but a 4-0 sweep is an ambitious target.
India has won the previous four Test series against Australia, all by a margin of 2-1. However, Gavaskar believes that Australia will be a different proposition in their own backyard.
Despite Gavaskar’s cautious optimism, India’s recent record against Australia provides some hope. India has won two Test series in Australia in the past decade, including a historic 2-1 victory in 2018/19.
The WTC scenario is also complex. While India needs four wins to guarantee qualification for the final, it is unlikely that they will need to win all. Other nations in contention for the WTC final, such as Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and New Zealand, will face each other and potentially hamper each other’s results.
Overall, Gavaskar’s prediction reflects a realistic assessment of India’s chances in Australia. While a 4-0 victory may be a stretch, India has the potential to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and continue their recent dominance over Australia in Test cricket.
