Hussey: India well positioned for maiden Test series victory Down Under

With key Australian players serving suspensions for their role in the ball tampering scandal, Michael Hussey said India could have a good tour Down Under.

Former Australian international cricketer Michael Hussey

The absence of David Warner and Steve Smith will severely weaken Australia’s batting line-up when India travels to the land Down Under later this year, former Australia international Michael Hussey stated. This presents India with a golden chance to record a maiden Test series victory in Australia, Hussey explained.

Warner, Smith and Cameron Bancroft will miss the series, which commences in November, as they are serving bans for their roles in the ball tampering scandal.

“I am a little worried about Australia's batting, because we are missing two of our best batsmen in Smith and Warner. But this gives guys like Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh the chance to step up and become heroes," Hussey, who was in the city to attend a Karnataka Premier League (KPL) event here on Wednesday, said.

“It is a wonderful chance for India to win its first ever Test series in Australia,” he added, “But then, if all the Australian bowlers - Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathon Lyon - are fit and firing, India will have to work hard for runs. Australia have an excellent bowling attack.”

Hussey is convinced that Cricket Australia (CA) will not bend the rules to try and bring the trio back in time for the India tour. "CA have already said that they will not bring them back them early. There was pressure to get Warner and Smith back for the Big Bash League, but CA said no. So we definitely won’t see Warner, Smith and Bancroft for the India tour," he said.

The tour starts with three Twenty20 internationals, followed by four Tests and three ODIs.