Ganguly's bold predictions without key players: Vaughan and Gilchrist face reality

Despite Michael Vaughan and Adam Gilchrist's confident predictions of Australia dominating the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 3-1 victory, Sourav Ganguly has pointed out the recent successes of team India in Australia. In both the 2018/19 and 2020/21 Test series, India emerged victorious against Australia with a score of 2-1, ultimately preventing the BGT from leaving Indian shores. Ganguly's reminder serves as a caution to the former Ashes rivals, emphasizing India's potential to upset their predictions once again.

Perhaps it's the shocker of India's 0-3 sweep against New Zealand at home that Australia are deemed favourites to win. But let's not forget that the Aussies aren't invincible either. They are coming off a series defeat against Pakistan – and while it may be in ODIs and with a second-string team, a loss is a loss. Also, Australia last played Test cricket eight months ago, but beyond all that, Ganguly refreshed Vaughan and Gilchrist's memories, taking their minds back to how India regrouped after the low of 36 all out to win the series with Rishabh Pant breaching the fortress of Gabba.

"Let's see. I don't rule India out. When they went in 2021, we got all out for 36 in Adelaide. We had lost [Virat] Kohli, and by the time we went to Brisbane, there was no Kohli, no Rohit Sharma, no Jasprit Bumrah, no Ravichandran Ashwin, and these guys came back and beat a top-notch Australian side. There's tremendous talent in India," Ganguly said on the Club Prairie Fire podcast.

"I wouldn't predict the series yet because, to be honest, because the last two tours, we beat them both the times. Did anybody think on Day 5 in Brisbane when India had to get 330, Rishabh Pant played that knock and won them the match. Not just Pant but Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur as well. Shubman Gill contributed for India to win."

'It could well be 1-1 after Adelaide', feels Ganguly

Despite India's twin victories in Australia and the fact that the Aussies haven't won a series against the Indians in 10 years, the generic consensus heavily favours Australia. It's almost given that Australia will pummel India in the series opener at Perth and run them ragged in Adelaide, a day-night game. Australia have never lost a pink-ball Test, and while that surely is impressive and a huge advantage going into the Test. Ganguly reversed the odds, saying that the Test series could be decided in the last three because the first and second Test could well be even-stevens, with India and Australia winning one each.

"It might well be that by the time the Adelaide Test finishes, it's 1-1, and then you go to Melbourne and Brisbane and Sydney and the series gets decided. If you look at the 2018 series, it rained in Sydney and India were on the verge of winning that Test as well. We could have won that series 3-1. These are some fearless players. Let's keep our fingers crossed. I think it's going to be a fascinating series. Weather permitting, all five Test matches will have a decision, and it can go any way," Ganguly, the former India captain, said.

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