- Australia and India will play a four-match Test series starting on February 9.
- Ian Healy predicts a 2-1 series victory for India.
- Pat Cummins and Steve Smith will be Australia’s mainstays in Ashes series.
India will defeat Australia in a four-match Test series starting on February 9 in Nagpur, according to former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Ian Healy, who also predicted a 2-1 series victory for India. Healy said that provided the hosts don’t prepare “unreasonable wickets,” his prediction might come true.
To decide who would win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India and Australia will play four Test matches in Nagpur, New Delhi, Dharamsala, and Ahmedabad. India’s participation in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, which will take place in June 2023, depends on the outcome of the series.
“They’ve got a good team but I’m not too scared of their spinners unless they produce unreasonable wickets. If they produce unreasonable wickets like they did half the series last time (we won’t win), two wickets were just terrible, unfair, spinners jumping over your head on day one.”
“So that type of thing they will play better on than we will, but if they get flat wickets that India used to put out, nice flat batting wickets and bowlers have to work really hard, I think we can do it. But (my prediction is) 2-1 India, if Starc’s unavailable in the first Test,” said Healy
Due to a finger injury to his bowling hand sustained during the second Test against South Africa at the MCG in December 2022, Starc will be joining the Australian team from the second Test.
“Guess what Lyon needs, he needs Mitch Starc, Mitch Starc to run through and create rough for him outside of right-hander’s off stump.”
“Starc mightn’t be available first Test, and if you’re not available first Test, you’re not going to be great second Test… it’s soon after, there’s no other games.”‘
“My worry for him not playing the first Test is that you don’t have a lot of time to get the bowling in that you’re going to need in the second, third and fourth Test,” added Healy.
The Ashes series versus England will be Australia’s subsequent international Test match in June–July. Healy projected that Australia would defeat England 3-1, a team that has been dominating the format owing to Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s “Bazball” tactics, assuming there are no injury issues for the Pat Cummins-led team.
“Now Ashes, if we haven’t got any injuries in that bowling attack and we can play our top team, then 3-1 Australia. We’re going to really attack Bazball and put Bazball under pressure. We’ll see how much courage and bravery they can retain in that top order with England and their bowlers.”
“I think for once we’ll cope the best against Anderson and Broad, Anderson is 40 years of age, we’ve got to really get some pressure back on him. Our best players for mine, Pat Cummins and Steve Smith will be our stars,” he concluded.
