Hayden's High Expectations for Smith and Kohli in Test Series
- Matthew Hayden anticipates impressive performances from Steve Smith and Virat Kohli in the upcoming Test series.
- India and Australia are set to face off in a five-Test series, marking their first such encounter since 1991-92.
- The series will commence on November 22 at Perth, promising an exciting showdown between two cricketing giants.
As the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar series approaches, cricket legends Virat Kohli of India and Steve Smith of Australia are expected to play pivotal roles in determining the outcome of the matches. Australian great Matthew Hayden emphasized the importance of both players, noting their desire to assert dominance as they near the latter stages of their illustrious careers. "Cricket is a game of momentum, and I'm sure those two players will be very keen to dominate the landscape through the summer," Hayden remarked during the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards. The five-Test series, commencing on November 22 in Perth, marks the first such encounter between India and Australia since the 1991-92 season. Hayden expressed that predicting which team holds the advantage is challenging, particularly with the absence of reliable players like Cheteshwar Pujara, who has retired. He highlighted the significance of runs in this series, stating, "I sense that it's going to be runs that are going to be the point of difference." Hayden drew parallels to the past, recalling the dominance of players like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman in Australian conditions. He underscored the need for the best players to rise to the occasion, as runs are expected to be scarce. The upcoming series is reminiscent of the competitive spirit seen during the Steve Waugh era, where Australia aimed to maintain its stronghold on home turf. The stakes are high, and the performances of Kohli and Smith could very well shape the series' outcome.