The four-match Test series between India and Australia is set to start on February 9 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur. A World Test Championship final berth will be on offer for India when the side hosts Pat Cummins and company. A good performance can see India play the WTC final against the same opponent, while a poor performance will pour cold water on their hopes. On the other hand, the touring Australian team will also be under pressure as beating India in the longest format on latter's soil is anything but easy.
Wary of the spin threat against India, the guests are preparing themselves in the best possible way to tackle the challenge. The Australian team is practising on worn pitches -- surfaces that are expected to be offered to them during the four-match Test series against India.
While the Pat Cummins-led side continues to prepare to put its best foot forward, former India batter Mohammad Kaif feels that the touring side are panicking, and announcing an 18-member team is a sign of it.
"Australia are travelling to India with 18 players. That, in itself, shows that they are panicking. They are in doubt. They haven't toured India with 18 players ever. They know India are a strong team at home, it isn't easy to beat them," Kaif said in Hindi in a video posted by Star Sports.
"Virat Kohli wasn't there at the Gabba, and he's back in the team. Australia are a strong team, they are in form, but beating India in India isn't easy at all. Can they bat? Can they see off (Ravichandran) Ashwin, (Ravindra) Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav? Only if they could tackle spin, it would be a good competition," he added.
Australia Test squad for tour of India Tests:Â Pat Cummins (captain), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vice-captain), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.
