Azharuddin was captain of India on the 1991-92 tour where India lost 0-4 across five Tests. Fortune did not favour his team in the Sydney and Adelaide Tests of the series
Mohammed Azharuddin
Mohammed Azharuddin, who was here for the 25th anniversary of the 1993 Hero Cup celebration, agrees that this is the Indian team's best chance to beat Australia in their den and hopes Virat Kohli & Co can create history.
Azharuddin was captain of India on the 1991-92 tour where India lost 0-4 across five Tests. Fortune did not favour his team in the Sydney and Adelaide Tests of the series. At Sydney, Ravi Shastri plundered a double century while Sachin Tendulkar scored his first hundred on Australian soil - an unbeaten 148 - which Richie Benaud rated very highly.
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"Of course, there is a good chance of beating Australia. But we have to play very hard. In our time, we could not win because whenever the bowling clicked, the batting didn't and when the batsmen got runs, the bowlers did not deliver. We came pretty close to winning in Sydney and Adelaide," said Azhar, who helped himself to a strokeful hundred at the Adelaide Oval.
He added: "I really wish the current team can win this time. The Australian team do not bat deep which is a big plus for us." India have an impressive bowling attack this time. When asked which two pace bowlers he would pick in every Test, Azhar said: "There are some fitness issues, but Umesh Yadav appears strong and well built. I will pick Jasprit Bumrah to partner Umesh in every Test. I wonder whether Bhuvneshwar Kumar is fit. He's a good bowler, but may not have the pace to create big problems for the Australians."
Azhar reckoned India should field only one spinner [Ravindra Jadeja] in the playing XI apart from three pacers. R Ashwin can be the second spinner when needed.
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