Australia vs India: Ian Chappell picks the favourites to win the Test series

As far as International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rankings are concerned, India are the better Test team ahead of their four-match series against Australia, which gets underway on December 6. Virat Kohli and Co are ranked number one while the Aussies are in the fifth position. Moreover, India are also deemed as the favourites for the reason that the hosts don’t have the services of Steve Smith and David Warner.

Apart from the home Ashes against England earlier this year in January, they haven’t tasted much success in the format, especially after the ball-tampering fiasco at Newlands, Cape Town in March. In the meantime, former Australian cricketer Ian Chappell reckons Australia are most likely to roll over India, but he refrained from putting forth the reasons behind his statement.

“I am going to pick Australia, but don’t ask me why I am picking them. I think the only reasonable reason I can give is that I was disappointed the way India played in England and I thought they should have won that series.

Certainly, on talent, they should beat this Australian side, but there might just be something missing. The other thing is the Australian attack. It is a very good one. It is proven under Australian conditions and the Indian attack is not proven under Australian conditions. So it is pretty flimsy evidence but I am going to pick Australia,” Chappell was quoted as saying in ESPNCricinfo.

I think those two things could tell a big story

Moreover, he’s also eager to see how the Australian bowlers handle Kohli, who has been in red-hot form with the bat in hand of late in all forms of international cricket. “…I’m particularly looking forward to the competition between Australia’s pace bowlers and Virat Kohli. That should be a great contest. Last time he was here, Kohli played really well,” he added.

Chappell also feels that the performances of the Indian bowlers could eventually decide the fate of the series. Moreover, he highlighted the difference in conditions between England and Australia. “They got the ball to move around. I’m not sure they will get the same kind of assistance in Australian conditions, so I’m interested to see how they bowl, and I think those two things could tell a big story in the series,” he remarked.

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