Former coach Ravi Shastri has backed India to win the Boxing Day Test, saying the visitors have exploited Australia’s “brittle” top order to have their “nose ahead” in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Shastri added that premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah is “almost single-handedly” responsible for the visitors keeping the series levelled at 1-1.
“I think India would take this, the way the series is poised. Any overseas team being 1-1, especially with the games being in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, they would take this.
“Going 1-1 into Boxing Day is the best-case scenario. I would say India have their nose ahead,” Shastri told news.com.au.
Australia’s top order comprising Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne have been unable to score against Bumrah.
It has forced them to hand a debut to teenage sensation Sam Konstas while dropping rookie opener Nathan McSweeney.
“It’s been pretty brittle. When you look at this Australian line-up, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen an Australian line-up where the top order is that brittle. India have exploited that and continue to exploit it,” Shastri said.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh has also largely struggled for runs. In the last year, Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Khawaja and Steve Smith all had averages less than 30 in Test cricket.
“India is 1-1 in the series and that man (Bumrah) has almost single-handedly got India into that position,” Shastri said.
Shastri feels India have come to Australia with a strong intent to win.
“India have come here to win, they haven’t come here to fill in the numbers. Even when I was the coach, our mantra was to play extremely hard, fair and to win. You have to think of a method to beat Australia and not just compete."
Written with PTI inputs