India vs Australia | Australia are a pretty ordinary team at present, says Farokh Engineer

India will step up preparation ahead of the highly-awaited four Test match series against Tim Paine & Co. Down Under. After having leveled the T20I series 1-1, the Indian team will back themselves to pull off a major coup by winning the Test series against ‘depleted’ Australian team lacking the likes of Steven Smith and David Warner.

Former Mumbai cricketer, Farokh Engineer, revealed that this will be India’s best chance to pull off a series win against an ‘ordinary’ Australian team. Engineer further added that India are a balanced side on paper and should prove to be a formidable opponent under the leadership of the passionate Virat Kohli.

“India will never have a better chance of beating Australia. Australia are a pretty ordinary team at the moment, without these two (Smith and Warner), and we should make the best of this opportunity.

“India are playing very good cricket, we have a great captain in Virat Kohli, he is doing superbly well. We have got a good all-round side, good pace bowlers, good spinners, so let’s take advantage of that and beat Australia in Australia, which we should be doing and we will be doing, god willing,” the 80-year-old told reporters in Mumbai.

Farokh, who represented India in 46 Test matches, was asked to choose between Parthiv Patel and Rishabh Pant as the first choice wicket-keeper for the Indian Test team. The Parsi gentleman opted to go with the Delhi youngster in lieu of his performances against England and West Indies.

“Well, I would go for a youngster. Rishabh Pant has shown lot of promise in batting. Parthiv is still fit. I think the best keeper should play Test match, ODI cricket – a better batsman (can play). Rishabh is certainly my choice for ODIs but for a Test someone like Parthiv will be better, although he is 35,” Engineer added.

India will take on Australia in the first Test match in Adelaide on December 6. However, Virat Kohli & Co. will play a warm-up game against Cricket Australia XI on Wednesday.