India are favourites to 'steamroll' Australia in the Test series, feels Jeff Thomson

Former Australian fast bowling great Jeff Thomson feels India are favourites to ‘steamroll’ the hosts in the four-match Test series Down Under that begins in December. India will be touring Australia for over two months to play 3 T20Is, 4 Tests and 3 ODIs. This is their last overseas assignment of this year, which they’d look to win after having been defeated in South Africa and England.

Thomson believes Australia will heavily miss their experienced duo of Steve Smith and David Warner. Both cricketers were banned for a period of 12 months following their involvement in the ball tampering scandal that rocked international cricket earlier this year. Even opening batsman Cameron Bancroft, who was found carrying sandpaper in his trouser pockets, has been suspended for nine months.

The 68-year old said that the Australian batting looks rather ordinary in the absence of Smith and Warner. They recently lost a two-match Test series against Pakistan in the UAE, after Mohammad Abbas single-handedly tore through their batting line up with a 10-for in the second Test. Tim Paine led a rather inexperienced side which fielded as many as three debutants in during the series.

Australia batting line-up is very average: Thomson

Speaking at the Ekamra Sports Literary Festival in Bhubaneshwar on ‘The Death of the Test Fast Bowler’, Jeff Thomson said, “You (India) have a solid team, a very good fast bowling unit and you should win if you play hard in the upcoming series. There is no reason why you should not steamroll Australia which will be without Smith and Warner. Without these two, the Australian batting line-up is very average.”

“You see the footwork of the Australians during the series against Pakistan (in the UAE which they lost 0-1). They lack technique, they just want to smack the ball out of the park, which is due to playing too many T20 and ODI matches,” said Thomson, who represented Australia in 51 Tests between 1973 and 1985.

He also added that he must have clocked 110 miles/hr during his playing days if the measurement was done similar to the current practice, “During my time, the speed was measured at the impact of the ball with the bat and now it is done when the ball leaves the hand. I think I must have clocked 175 km/hr in the current measurement system,” he concluded.

The first of four Tests between India and Australia gets underway on December 6 at the Adelaide Oval.

Get the latest Cricket News and updates from India vs West Indies series, Match Predictions, Fantasy Cricket Tips and lots more on CricTracker.com.