India's series win Down Under had much to do about Warner and Smith's absence, feels Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis has stated that India's series win in Australia had much to do with the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner, even though he conceded that India had a very good side. Younis has further added that he still doesn't know why Pakistan have failed to win a single series in Australia.
India secured a fine series victory against Australia in 2018 - their first-ever series win in Australia - to script history and even India's coach Ravi Shastri stated that it was even bigger than the 1983 World Cup and 1985 World Series that he had won as a player. Kohli also believed that the achievement and feelings were bigger than what he had felt as a youngster after lifting the 2011 World Cup. But Waqar Younis was not ready to have that kind of theory, saying that Australia were without Steve Smith and David Warner.
"I am not trying to take away any credit from India, they played well and they are a very good side. But yes at the same time when they won in Australia, there is no doubt that Australian cricket was going through a turmoil and there were problems in their dressing room. And they were without Steve Smith and David Warner," Waqar said during a video conference, reported PTI.
Pakistan haven't been able to win a single Test match since 1995, something that was repeated in the last tour when the hosts whitewashed the series. While Younis was a part of the 1999 side that was white-washed as a player, this time, he was the bowling coach of the side, but the fate remained unperturbed. On being asked about that, the former Pakistan skipper stated that he really has no answers.
"I really don't know why we have not won Tests there all these years. At times, we went there with top bowling attacks yet lost. To me, it was a case of when the bowling worked the batting didn't put up enough runs or when the batters put up enough runs the bowlers didn't come through. You have to keep in mind that Australia is never an easy place to tour for any side. Look at the recent tour by New Zealand they are a top side and they lost badly. England have lost Ashes in Australia in a one-sided series," Waqar said.
