New Delhi. The defeat against New Zealand before going on Australia tour is a big blow for India. The stars of the team which suffered a clean sweep at home for the first time in Test history are under pressure. Questions are being raised on the careers of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. But Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood looks at India’s defeat from a different perspective. He believes that the Indian team can make a strong comeback in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy matches between India and Australia will be played from November 22.
Josh Hazlewood told the Sydney Morning Herald, ‘Maybe the sleeping devil has woken up. We will know how things are progressing only when the series starts. ‘The defeat on home soil is one of the worst periods in India’s Test cricket history. This has also dealt a big blow to the hopes of the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team of reaching the final of the World Championship (WTC).
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After three consecutive defeats, India has lost its first position in the WTC points table. Now Australia is at first and India at second. New Zealand and South Africa are also strongly in the race for the final. India will have to win four out of its five matches against Australia to qualify for the WTC final, which is not going to be easy.
Josh Hazlewood said, ‘India’s confidence may have been shaken a bit by this crushing defeat. Some of its players have played here but there are some batsmen who do not have the experience of playing here. Therefore he will not be completely sure what kind of challenge he will have to face here. This result will definitely be good for us.
The five-Test series between India and Australia will start from November 22 in Perth. Hazlewood said, ‘We are ready for this. This series means a lot to us. Whenever we play against India, it is like playing in the Ashes. I am confident that spectators will come in large numbers to watch the match and the TV ratings can also be very high.
Tags: Border Gavaskar Trophy, India vs Australia, Josh Hazlewood, Team india
FIRST PUBLISHED : November 5, 2024, 4:56 PM IST