Australia is confident of their chances of victory against India in the “final frontier” contest, given their solid batting lineup, a well-constructed pace attack that can create a swing with an older ball if the environment is appropriate, and a successful spinner. However, this is a difficult challenge – which is often referred to as “Everest” in Australia – as the Indian team is formidable and nearly unbeatable when playing in their home country.
It has been over ten years since India last lost a series at home (which was a 2-1 defeat to England in 2012), but Australia has been showing a lot of confidence due to their success in their own country. This confidence is only further increased by the absence of Rishabh Pant due to injury, meaning his cheerful attitude will be sorely missed.
It is easy to trust a player’s batting skills in the Australian environment, but it is a different story when it comes to playing in India. Most Australian batters, aside from Steven Smith, need to demonstrate their talent in this area.
Smith, being the only Australian batter on the tour with an average of over 30 in India, is faced with the tough task of succeeding in batting. This is especially true if Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin form a successful bowling partnership.
When it comes to Australia’s bowling squad, only Nathan Lyon has a proven track record, and even he has an average above 30 in India. Lyon believes he has improved as a bowler in the subcontinent, but still relies on untested bowlers such as Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson for support.
India’s bowlers need to find a way to contain Steve Smith and Nathan Lyon if they hope to be successful in the series. Both teams have shown the ability to compete and are among the top teams in Test cricket. India are likely to come out on top in the end, however, due to their strength in depth.