ENG vs IND | India will beat England 4-0 in the series if the conditions are hot, predicts Sunil GavaskarĀ
Shami in action during the WTC finale
|Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar has predicted that India will conquer the English soil and win the Test series 4-0 if the weather remains hot in the UK. He also added that pretty much like the 2018 series, Virat Kohli will return as the winner in the battle against English quick James Anderson.
The last time India won a Test series in England - Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, and Sourav Ganguly were still representing the country. It came as long as 14 years back, and from there on, India have registered one series loss after another in England. Despite boasting a world-class unit on the last tour of England, the Virat Kohli-led side had fallen short by a long mile, losing the series 1-4. Now, entering the series on the back of the WTC finale defeat, it's still difficult to make a clear cut assessment as to which team will come out on top in the five-match Test series.Ā
However, former Indian Test opener Sunil Gavaskar feels India will overcome the England challenge 4-1 if the conditions remain hot for the majority of the series. He added that India would still win the series even if the weather changes and turns into a big factor.Ā
"My prediction is, if again this time I am making it contingent (on) to the weather... if the hot conditions are there, hot conditions are there for 22 out of possible 25 days, then I think India will win 4-0.
"In case you have a situation where the weather is going to be a factor, then I think India will win 3-1, but I think India will still go on to win, because England is now a very depleted side, and their batting, as we saw in the series against New Zealand, is being brittle," Gavaskar said, reported HT.
One of the most fascinating battles in the ongoing series between both nations will be the one between Virat Kohli and James Anderson. Gavaskar has backed his countryman Virat Kohli to come out as the winner in the battle of the cricketing greats in some conducive conditions for the pace bowlers.Ā
"Looking at the way Kohli adapted in 2018, looking at the way he was so certain around off-stump, his shot selection was so immaculate... "... I just think Anderson as a fast bowler getting three-year older and Virat Kohli getting three years more experienced, and I think batsmen are at their peak around this 28-33-34, I do believe that Virat Kohli will come out triumphs like he did in 2018," said Gavaskar.
