"Maybe Ravichandran Ashwin should start telling us about a special delivery that he is developing for Steve Smith" - Sunil Gavaskar
Former opener Sunil Gavaskar called for India to take a leaf out of Australia's book and start playing mind games ahead of the highly anticipated 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India and Australia will play in a five-Test series Down Under, starting in Perth on November 22.
Several Australian cricketers, including Ricky Ponting and Geoff Lawson, have already predicted an Aussie win. Meanwhile, Ravi Shastri backed the visitors to complete a hat-trick of Test series victories in Australia.
India have won the last four bilateral Test series against Australia, including two Down Under in 2018/19 and 2020/21.
In his column for Mid-Day, Gavaskar started his version of mind games on behalf of the Indian side by saying:
"Already the mind games have begun with Australian players both current and former airing their views about what the result would be. Maybe Ravichandran Ashwin should start telling us about a special delivery that he is developing for Steve Smith, that is of course if he continues to open the batting and can survive Jasprit Bumrah."
He added:
"While they (Australia) are not making Glenn McGrath-like statements of a clean sweep they are still suggesting that Australia will prevail. Sadly, apart from Ravi Shastri no other former or current player has seen to counter the mind games which the Aussies are so good at."
For the record, Steve Smith boasts an excellent Test record against Ravichandran Ashwin with an average of 54.20, despite the off-spinner dismissing him eight times.
Gavaskar's Jasprit Bumrah remarks stem from Smith's ongoing struggles at the top of the order. After David Warner's retirement earlier this year, Smith took ownership of partnering Usman Khawaja at the top but has averaged only 28.50 in four Tests.
"My prediction is a 3-1 win for India" - Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar predicted an emphatic 3-1 win for India in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Rohit Sharma's men lost their most recent Test meeting against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final last year. Yet, they scripted a remarkable come-from-behind 2-1 series win in Australia in the 2020/21 tour.
"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. 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," wrote Gavaskar on Mid-Day.
India and Australia are currently at Nos.1 and 2 on the latest WTC standings, having won their most recent Test series against England and New Zealand respectively.