"India have every chance of making it a hat-trick" - Ravi Shastri ahead of Australia tour later this year

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has thrown his weight behind the national team to succeed on the tour of Australia later this year. Shastri understands that Australia will be desperate to win a series after back-to-back losses, but gives India a strong chance of completing the hat-trick.

In what promises to be a blockbuster series, India will visit Australia for five Tests to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India hadn't won a series in Australia until 2018-19 but did it twice in their last two tours.

Speaking in an episode of the ICC Review podcast, the 62-year-old said India must bat well to upstage Australia.

"It is going to be one heck of a series and India have every chance of making it a hat-trick because they've got their bowlers fit and if they can bat well, they can tickle (beat) Australia once again," Ravi Shastri said.

However, the former all-rounder warned that Australia will come hard at India after back-to-back losses.

"We know what Australia will be wanting (revenge). They will be thirsty, they'd be looking to go at the throats of the Indians because they’ve been beaten there (in Australia) twice," he added.

Australia had taken a 1-0 lead in the 2020-21 leg after an eight-wicket win in Adelaide. Tim Paine and company lost in Melbourne and failed to force a victory in Sydney as India held on for a draw. The hosts lost the fourth Test in Brisbane and with it, the series.

"They'll be looking for those 20 wickets, game after game" - Ravi Shastri

Pat Cummins is one of the Test bowlers going around. (Credits: Getty)

Ravi Shastri elaborated that Australia's experienced bowling attack will consistently step up to prove they are one of the best. The 62-year-old remarked it would be a contest between Australia's bowling and India's batting.

"The attack is pretty much the same. One of the greatest fast bowling attacks – [one of the greatest] all-round attacks when you add Nathan Lyon there – in a long, long time. And one of the best in the history of the game. They'll be looking for those 20 wickets, game after game to help Australia win the series," he said.

"It's going to be India's batting against the Australian fast bowlers. And of course, the Indian bowling attack is going to be something everyone will be waiting to see," he added.

Ravi Shastri reckoned the sporting fraternity cannot wait for the series to kick off, saying:

"With (Jasprit) Bumrah fit, (Mohammed) Shami fit, you've got Mohammed Siraj there. You've got the likes of (Ravinchandran) Ashwin and (Ravindra) Jadeja and some very good bench strength as well. One can't wait for that series to start and (I think) India can do the hat-trick (of series victories in Australia)."

The five-Test series begins on November 22 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.