New Delhi: Former Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson feels that Indian team will be “nervous” considering the pacer-friendly conditions of Dharamsala where Steve Smith and his boys should feel more confident.
“Dharamsala is an amazing ground and the only times I have seen it are with grass on (the pitch). So I think that’s why the Australians will probably be confident and India will be a little bit nervous. I think they’ve been overconfident in this series and I think the scoreline shows that,” Johnson told Fox Sports.
The Aussie pace bowling great feels that Pune Test hero Steve O’Keefe may have to make way for Jackson Bird in seamer-friendly conditions when the fourth Test gets underway from Saturday.
“I think we’re going to lose a spinner out of this Test match,” he said.
“The spinners have been great throughout the series. There’s been a lot of pressure on the spinners to go out there and perform and I think they’ve had some good patches and some bad patches. But that’s the game. It’s a tough one because they have both had their moments in this series, but I think you have got to go with experience.
“I think Nathan Lyon will get a lot more bounce and he has been turning the ball quite nicely. But then again, you’ve got to look at left- and right-hand combinations,” Johnson said.
Johnson feels that Bird will be more suitable for Dharamsala track.
“If it’s more of an Australian kind of wicket, I think you’ll see Nathan Lyon bowl and Bird come in as the third quick.
Johnson, a veteran of 73 Tests is happy that Peter Handscomb and Shaun Marsh saved the game for Australia providing them with psychological advantage.
“(The result in Ranchi) gives Australia a huge advantage I think. For them (India) to know that it’s not about Steve Smith and David Warner, other guys in the team can perform and can play out for a draw. They dug in and played exceptional cricket.”
“They (Australia) will be pumped after that. Even though it was only a draw, to them it will feel very good and very positive. Because they have collapsed a lot in the past. That’s why I’m confident Australia will win.”
Gautam Gambhir, former Indian opener has said Australia’s Test side deserve credit for impressive performances in the ongoing four-match tour of India, proving wrong a host of experts and pundits who predicted a whitewash for the home side.
“We should give credit to the Australian side which has played remarkably,” Delhi opener Gambhir, who is not involved in the current series, said in a recent interview. “Most players like Harbhajan (Singh) and Sourav (Ganguly) predicted a whitewash for India, but they have proved themselves brilliantly and with everything on the line, Australia will be a tricky opponent.”
The series was slightly marred by an acrimonious row between the sides after India accused Australian captain Steve Smith of seeking advice from his dressing room over the use of the Decision Review System (DRS) in the second test.
However, Gambhir, who has played 58 tests for India, said sledging was part of the game and it was hard for players to keep a lid on their emotions on the international stage.
“It is fine to play hard and do whatever you can to upset the opposition till the time you don’t get personal,” the 35-year-old left-hander added.
