As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy draws near, former Australian cricketers Aaron Finch and Brad Haddin have weighed in on the upcoming series, offering contrasting opinions on key players and challenges for both teams.
Finch believes that wicketkeepers Rishabh Pant and Alex Carey will be pivotal in shaping the outcome of the series, especially in the event of a collapse in the top order.
On the 'Willow Talk Podcast', he remarked, "I think the key could be Alex Carey and Rishabh Pant. The two wicketkeepers are going to be so important."
Finch explained that with both teams having formidable fast bowling units, there will inevitably be moments when the top order is "knocked over".
He stressed the importance of the wicketkeepers, particularly when the lower order is called upon to stabilise the innings. "A time or other in the series, the top order will get knocked over as both fast bowling attacks are so good and they will get on a roll. For me, it is that really crucial role of Alex at number seven and Rishabh at number six likely."
Pant and Carey are renowned for their aggressive batting styles, with Finch highlighting that their ability to change the momentum of the game could prove decisive.
"Carey is aggressive, Rishabh is aggressive. The game is going to go one or two ways really quick. And I think that will be so important," Finch added.
While Finch views the two teams’ bowling line-ups as being relatively equal, Haddin, the former Australian wicketkeeper, is more concerned about the Indian batting order, particularly their ability to cope with Australia's fast bowlers.
Haddin expressed doubts about the Indian batters' ability to "stand up" to the pace attack of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, especially on the bouncy tracks of Australia.
"I don't think that the Indian batters are going to stand up to our quicks," Haddin said bluntly.
India’s preparations for the series have been hampered by uncertainties, including the likely absence of captain Rohit Sharma for the first Test in Perth on November 22.
In his absence, KL Rahul or Abhimanyu Easwaran are expected to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, who will be playing his first series in Australia. Jaiswal, with his remarkable record in Test cricket, has already made an impact, scoring 1,407 runs at an average of 56.28 in just 14 matches.
But Haddin remains sceptical about how the young opener will fare on the notoriously bouncy tracks in Perth. "I know Jaiswal is a really good player, but he hasn't come out and seen Australia before, so I'm not sure whether he is going to handle the bounce. Opening in Perth is hard work," Haddin said.
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