Mumbai: India great Sunil Gavaskar believes his former side can continue their recent dominance in Australia and regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy during the upcoming Test series.
The two powerhouses of Test cricket will battle it out over five Tests in Australia from November and the series will be a pivotal one in deciding who qualifies for next year's ICC World Test Championship final at Lord's.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting predicted a series triumph for his old team when quizzed on the latest episode of The ICC Review and ex-India captain Ravi Shastri went the other way and chose his previous side in response.
Gavaskar is the latest big name to provide his thoughts on the eagerly-awaited series, with the former Test opener declaring a likely victory for India as they look to complete three consecutive series triumphs over Australia away from home.
“With their opening batting problems exacerbated after the retirement of David Warner and the middle-order also a bit dodgy, the Aussies are ripe for the taking once again,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day.
“It’s going to be an exciting series for sure with the talent that is there on both sides and it will also show why Test match cricket is the ultimate format of our beloved game. Oh, and my prediction is a 3-1 win for India."
However Gavaskar is somewhat concerned by the fact India is not scheduled to play any warm-up fixtures on Australian soil in the lead-up to the first Test in Perth from November 22, with an intra-squad match at the WACA their only chance to adjust to the conditions Down Under.
"India being the usual slow starters in an overseas series in SENA countries the first Test will be crucial,” Gavaskar noted.
“That they aren't playing proper first-class games before that as well as in the week-long gaps between some Test matches could work against them," he added.