Last Updated on 6 years by Charbel Coorey
The big Test series is upon us.
Australia will play their second Test series since Cape Town, looking to rediscover the winning feeling in what has been a barren 2018 to date. It will be a big test without Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, with the former captain and vice-captain particularly key to Australia’s successes at home in recent years.
For India, it is their third big away tour of the year, and after defeats in South Africa and England, India will be hoping for a better time in Australia.
Many pundits believe this is India’s best chance to win in Australia for the first time ever. Dean Jones has gone as far to say that “if India don’t win this series, they’ll never win in Australia.” Their tour game has not gone exactly to plan, with their bowlers struggling and losing 19-year old whiz kid Prithvi Shaw to a nasty ankle injury.
On the other side, Australia’s bowling attack is good enough to cause India’s batting line up problems, but will the batting hold its own? In a series between two great rivals, who will gain the upper hand? Below are my five big predictions for the series. As always, feel free to leave a comment!
Prediction #1 – Leading run scorer: Virat Kohli (India)
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting came out and said Usman Khawaja will top the charts. However, it is just too difficult to go past Virat Kohli.
This man has arguably had his best year to date. Tours to South Africa and England provided the ultimate test for batsmen in bowling friendly conditions, and Kohli stood head and shoulders above the rest. He scored in excess of 70 more than the next best in South Africa, and a huge 244 more than the next best in England.
This goes with his magnificent tour of Australia in 2014. He is the best batsman in the world, and will top the run scoring charts.
Prediction #2 – Nathan Lyon will show why he’s the premier Test offspinner in the world
Nathan Lyon vs Ravichandran Ashwin has been a topic on many fans’ lips over the last few years. Personally, there is little doubt that Nathan Lyon is the world’s best offspinner, thanks to his ability to adjust to a range of conditions.
He conquered Asia in 2017, and has been superb in Australia. Ravi Ashwin, on the other hand, has already made clear he won’t look to bowl like Lyon, and his desire to bowl with lots of variations (as his disappointing Southampton Test earlier this year showed) could continue to render him ineffective in Australia.
Nathan Lyon will outbowl Ashwin, continue some of the problems India have with offspinners overseas, and finish with more wickets.
Prediction #3 – Leading wicket taker: Patrick Cummins (Australia)
Both sides possess seam bowlers that can do well in this series, so picking who will be the leading wicket taker is a tough ask.
However, it is hard to go past the brilliant Pat Cummins. Mitchell Starc will have a say, so too Josh Hazlewood and Jasprit Bumrah, but Cummins’ attributes will hold him in good stead. Pace and consistency is so important in Australia these days, and Cummins has both.
Prediction #4 – Australia’s leading run scorer: Usman Khawaja
Usman Khawaja might not do enough to outscore Virat Kohli, but he will be Australia’s best and the series’ second highest run scorer.
Superb in the UAE, Khawaja is a key cog in the Aussie line up, and possesses a superb record at home. He is in for a big series.
Prediction #5 – Winner: Australia (2-1)
The big one.
This series is likely to be very closely fought, with Australia possessing a good bowling attack at home, and India keen to pick up their first ever series win.
However, will it be different for India’s batsmen this time as they look to improve their SENA record? The loss of Prithvi Shaw for the first and possibly second Test is a blow, and I believe Australia’s bowlers have enough in them to get Australia home, backed up by a batting line up that has largely done well in Australian conditions.
Australia will win a closely fought series 2-1.
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So, there are my five predictions.
What are yours? Would love to hear them!
Thanks for reading!
