2020-21 Australia tour will be a bigger and stiffer challenge for India, reckons Rahul Dravid

India’s historic 2-1 series win over Australia the last time the two sides met in a four-match Test series came in the absence of both David Warner and Steve Smith. However, this time, around, the hosts are revitalised with the news of the return of the top-order duo. Alongside them, Marnus Labuschagne’s emergence in recent times has given them plenty of scoring options at the top of the order. Former Indian skipper Rahul Dravid has said that the 2020-21 Australian tour would be a bigger and stiffer challenge for Virat Kohli and co. 

“But yes, these two guys (Smith and Warner) will make a huge impact in that team, so it will be a bigger and stiffer challenge for India this time around,” said Dravid on Sony Ten Pit Stop, aired on the channel’s Facebook page.

“Missing Smith and Warner was a huge thing for Australia because of the impact they have on that team. They are their (Australia’s) top two batsman, they scored the most number of runs for them. We have seen how big an impact someone like Smith had on the Ashes. Even though Warner was out of form, he was able to carry that series along with (Marnus) Labuschagne on his own,” he added. 

However, Dravid was confident that India got the firepower to compete in the four-match series, with their bowlers having a gala-time when the two sides met each other. The tour, which has been highly anticipated, according to the right-hander, would be that tour that everyone will be looking forward to. 

“But I’d say India has got the fire power to compete and they have got top-class players. So it should be a good one, everyone is going to look forward to it,” he added.