Sourav Ganguly thinks Australia will find it difficult to beat India

India will start the ODI leg of the Sri Lanka tour tomorrow. They completely dominated the Island nation in the Test series, and a similar outcome is expected. The Australians are scheduled to tour India in September to play 5 ODIs and 3 T20Is. Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly said that it wouldn’t be easy for Australia to beat the hosts without their premier pace bowler Mitchell Starc.

Starc has been their premier bowler having taken the responsibility of coming hard at the opposition up front in the innings and then returning in the middle if the skipper needs a wicket, the last part of his spell is saved for the death where he is not only expected to kill the scoring rate but to also pick wickets of the big hitters.

Ganguly was asked if the unavailability of Starc will be beneficial to India. “It won’t be easy to beat India in India,” he told TOI. Australia had toured India for the Test series earlier this year. It was a brilliant series which the hosts won 2-1 to regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

Virat Kohli’s men will have that in mind and won’t be taking the Kangaroos lightly. Before touring India, Steve Smith & Co. is currently on the tour to Bangladesh which is expected to get them accustomed to the sub continental conditions though the formats they play will be different.

Talking about ODI series against Sri Lanks starting tomorrow, former Indian captain said he expects another heavy drubbing for the Sri Lankans. “Very likely. India can hand another drubbing to Sri Lanka,” Ganguly added.

Ganguly warns about hike in ticket prices.

According to the fixture list, India will take on Australia on 21st September at the Eden Gardens. Ticket prices will hike for the India-Australia series as 28% GST will be levied on them.

The president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) said the hike is only due to tax being levied on ticket price, otherwise, the prices will remain unchanged.

“Ticket prices will remain the same. Only 28 percent GST will be levied,” Ganguly told reporters after the working committee meeting on Saturday.

Tickets costing around Rs 500 will now cost Rs 650, while Rs 1000 ones will now cost Rs 1300. There was some respite from the spectators when Ganguly said that prices of tickets for Test match will remain untouched.