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The upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy promises to be a high-octane series as India gears up for a challenging tour of Australia. With two consecutive series wins in Australia under their belt, India will be looking to secure a historic hattrick of victories Down Under.
However, the road ahead is fraught with challenges, as the Australian side, eager for revenge, is already engaging in their signature mind games.
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Mind games already in play
Australia have a long-standing tradition of playing mind games before a big series, and this time is no different. With former players like Geoff Lawson and Ricky Ponting making bold predictions about an easy Australian victory, the pressure is already building.
"The five Test matches that India play (at home) before they go to Australia will be good for the mental tuning that is required for a tough tour like that,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for the mid-day, as quoted by News18.
“Already the mind games have begun with Australian players both current and former airing their views about what the result would be,” he added.
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Sunil Gavaskar’s call for a strong counterpunch
Gavaskar noted that Ravi Shastri has been the only Indian voice actively responding to these mind games, and urged former and current Indian players to step up and match the Aussies' verbal volleys.
“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,” he added.
He even playfully proposed that Ravichandran Ashwin should tease Australian batsman Steve Smith by claiming to have developed a new delivery aimed specifically at him.
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“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,” Gavaskar wrote.
