Former Sri Lankan skipper and batting legend Mahela Jayawardene becomes the latest prominent cricketing figure to bare his opinions on the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy. Although he admitted it would be a hard-fought series between two top-quality sides, he predicted a win for the Aussies, during a latest interview for the ICC Review.
Mahela Jayawardene, who is reveling in the role of a consultant coach for his national side, is looking forward to a fascinating battle between India and Australia in the upcoming series. Both sides occupy the top two places in the World Test Championship points table and are primed to make it to the final later this year.
While the Australian team has not managed to triumph on Indian soil since 2004, the Sri Lankan legend feels that Pat Cummins' side has got all their bases covered to end their hoodoo in the subcontinent. He hoped for a win for the Aussies in a hotly contested series as Sri Lanka are still with an outside chance to qualify for the WTC final.
“I think it's always going to be a great series. I think Indian conditions and how the Australian batsmen tackle that, they do have a really good bowling unit and how do the Indian batsmen tackle that … it depends on how each team starts the series and who's got that momentum. But it will be fascinating. It's difficult to predict, but being a Sri Lankan, I’m hoping that Australia can go all the way. Probably a 2-1 win for Australia, but it's going to be a tough one,” Mahela Jayawardene said in the latest edition of The ICC Review.
Jayawardene praises Shubman Gill after a tremendous run in white-ball cricket
Talking about India's young batting sensation Shubman Gill, Jayawardene reckoned the young opener has got what it takes to up the ante against a world-class Australian pace attack. He acknowledged Gill's form in the shorter formats of the game and feels the 23-year-old will be a great asset to the Asian side if he translates his prolific run in red-ball cricket as well.
“He's been very good, he's technically very sound and he's a good player of pace. That'll keep him in good stead against that Australian attack, but it's always going to be tough and it will be a very good series. He is in great form at the moment and if he converts that into red-ball cricket and have that tempo, maturity, and understanding of the situations and conditions, he’d be a great asset at the top of the line-up for India," he added.
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