Zaheer Khan reveals why both India & Australia evenly matched ahead of upcoming series

Former Indian bowling spearhead Zaheer Khan has gone on to say that re are favourites in upcoming all-format bilateral series between India and Australia that gets underway on vember 27 as he reckons that both teams are equally matched.

're are favourites'

“ Australian pitches have always had good bounce and pace, so I think area which will decide ODIs, T20Is, and Tests will be bowlers and how well team bowls as a unit to restrict opponent to a lower total on scoreboard. When someone talks about top line bowlers in world right w, names of players that come to our mind will all be on pitch in this series", said Khan while speaking to Sony Pictures Sports Network.

“w with return of Steve Smith and David Warner to Australian side, Indian team is definitely going to face a stiffer competition than ir previous tour Down Under", ZAK added.

“re are favorites going into series as both sides have quality batting and bowling line-up in ir squad and that is what will make upcoming tour interesting and exciting to watch,” 2011 World Cup winner furr added.

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An important bilateral series for India Down Under

Team India will be seen in action for first time in almost nine months when y lock horns with five-time world champions at Sydney Cricket Ground next Friday. Men In Blue had suffered a 3-0 whitewash in New Zealand earlier this year and y would be hoping to rediscover ir rhythm in 50-overs format by getting better of Aaron Finch-led side in ir own backyard.

Coming to T20Is, India would be hoping to repeat heroics of 2015/16 season where y had whitewashed Aussies by a 3-0 margin. However, what is more, important here is that 2007 World T20 champions will be hoping to start identifying players who can be a part of core team for next year's ICC T20 World Cup that y will be hosting in October-vember.

As this is India's first-ever T20I series post-COVID-19 break, this is where y would be looking to strategise and plan as race to T20 cricket's showpiece event begins.

Finally, it all comes down to four-match Test series. As India and Australia lock horns in pure whites come December 17,  it will t just be about Australia's vengeance or India's desire to write history, and r will it be about winning Border Gavaskar Trophy. Because this time, re's something much bigger on line - World Test Championship. India currently sit atop World Test Championship with 360 points whereas Australia are just below Men in Blue with 296 points.

India had beaten Australia when y had toured Down Under during 2018-19 season by a  2-1 margin in four-match series to win ir maiden Test series on Australian soil. It remains to be seen wher Virat Kohli-led side will succeed in retaining iconic Border-Gavaskar Trophy by getting better of a full-strength Australian side that features likes of Steve Smith, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, etc. 

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