Chappell backs India to win in Australia
MUMBAI: Former Australia captain Ian Chappell has backed India to claim their maiden Test series victory in Australia when they play four Tests between December 2018 and January 2019.
Chappell said that an Australian side minus Steve Smith and David Warner would eventually succumb to the quality Virat Kohli’s team possesses at this time.
“I will be predicting India to win the Test series. I don’t know if they win comfortably, but they will win. This is certainly India’s best opportunity ever to win a Test series in Australia. Smith and Warner had accounted for 35 percent of runs scored by Australian batsmen in last couple of years. It would be hard to find their replacements and therefore India are favourites,” Chappell said during the launch of Australian sports app SportsHero at a Mumbai hotel on Friday.
Chappell was quick to point out though that Australia still have a very good bowling attack.
“Australia’s bowling attack has to start thinking like former West Indian fast bowler Andy Roberts, who once said that it doesn’t matter what the opposition bowl us out at, we will bowl them out for less,” he said.
KOHLI-SHASTRI PRAISED
Chappell was all praise for Kohli and India coach Ravi Shastri, hailing them as a perfect combination. “I am not saying this because Ravi is my mate. Ravi is a right man to be with Kohli. As you know, Kohli is very aggressive. Ravi is also very aggressive. Both bring winning attitude to the team and their personalities are in the same mould.,” he said.
ON GANGULY’S CLAIMS
In his recently published autobiography, ‘A Century Is Not Enough’, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly had quoted former ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya as saying that Chappell had once shared in confidence that his brother Greg might not be the right choice for India’s coach.
When asked for his reaction, Chappell said, “Historically incorrect is how I would put my opinion on Sourav’s claims.”
ON SANDPAPERGATE
Chappell is of the opinion that Cricket Australia has done both Steve Smith and David Warner a big favour by banning them.
“I think Cricket Australia got it right. They did Smith and Warner a big favour. You imagine Smith and Warner playing in the next summer against India, they were going to get booed at some of the Australian grounds or all the Australian grounds. That would have shattered their confidence.
“The worst name you can have in Australia is of a cheat. It would not have been great for the image of Australian cricket to see former captain and vice-captain getting booed.”