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�India will not win in Australia if they can�t dismiss Smith, Warner early�

By The Assam Tribune

MUMBAI, May 8: India will not win the Test series in Australia later this year if they fail to dismiss seasoned run-machines Steve Smith and David Warner early, the great Ian Chappell said on Friday.

Should the much-anticipated series goes ahead as scheduled with the COVID-19 pandemic being brought under control in the best case scenario, the duo�s presence will put the hosts at an advantage, according to the former Australian captain.

�I am certainly looking forward to it (the India-Australia series). It will be a very interesting one. India will come with the confidence of having won last time they toured Australia,� Chappell said on the �Sony Ten Pit Stop� show.

The 76-year-old added, �It will be a bit harder this time (for India) with Smith and Warner in the Australian side. But India are well equipped to handle Australian conditions.�

Under Virat Kohli, India created history when they earned their maiden Test series triumph Down Under in 2018-19, after trying for seven decades. However, at that time, Australia did not have the services of the swashbuckling batting duo of Warner and Smith, who were serving bans for ball-tampering.

�Australia are pretty hard to beat at home and particularly with the attack that they have got at the moment, it is a very, very strong attack.

�The batting last time India were here wasn�t so good. If India can keep getting Warner and Smith out cheaply, then India could win. If they don�t get Warner and Smith cheaply, Australia will win,� said Chappell.

Chappell heaped praise on current India skipper Virat Kohli, saying he is the best at the moment when it comes to playing all the three formats, reiterating a point he made recently. � PTI

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