IND vs AUS | India will get smoked 4-0 if they don't do well in white-ball series, predicts Michael Clarke

11/24/2020

Former Aussie skipper Michael Clarke has made a bold prediction and stated that India would get whitewashed in the Tests if they don't do well in the limited-overs series. Indian skipper Virat Kohli will miss the last three Tests and Clarke feels he will need to set the tone in the first Test.

After winning the Border-Gavaskar series 2-1 in 2018/19 Down Under, India will have a stiff challenge this time around with the return of David Warner and Steven Smith. Australia have got strengthened with the return of the duo while the Indian side will be considerably weaker as their gun batsman and skipper Virat Kohli will miss a major portion of the four-match Test series and India are still sweating on fitness of experienced players like Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma, who as per reports are likely to miss the Test series.

Australia's World Cup-winning skipper Michael Clarke feels that India will need to put up a strong show in the three-match ODI and T20I series each as otherwise things can go down hill.

"These one-dayers and these Twenty20s is where Virat Kohli can really stand up and lead from the front," Clarke said on 'Sky Sports Radio', reported TOI.

"If India don't have success in the one-dayers and the T20s, they are in deep trouble in the Test matches and they'll get smoked 4-0, in my opinion," he added.

Clarke feels Kohli will play a major role in the Test series with how he does in the opening game. The former cricketer also added that Bumrah will play a key role in the series and will need to be aggressive against Australia.

"I think the tone he sets with this team will play a big role when he leaves, after the first Test match. Opening bowler, probably the best short-form bowler in the world at the moment, but his success in Test cricket has been exceptional as well. He's quick, he's got a really different action, so I think he needs to set the tone and be really aggressive to the Australian batters," Clarke said.

He reckons that the Indian pacer has advantage against Warner and can trouble Smith as well.

"Again, it's not just about the wickets he takes, it's how he bowls. He's got Davey Warner's measure at the moment, he's got him out a number of times. Even to someone like Steve Smith, he's got to use that short ball consistently and regularly, like Jofra Archer did to Steve Smith in the Ashes.

"They've (Bumrah and Kohli) got to take the Aussies on and those two players are India's best two players to be aggressive to the Australians," he added.

The much talked about series will begin on November 27 with the ODI series-opener in Sydney.