Former India coach Ravi Shastri has produced a counterpunch to Ricky Ponting's one-sided prediction and backed Rohit Sharma's team to register a hat-trick of wins to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy when Team India tours Australia for the five-Test series later this year. Ponting, the former Australia captain, was confident in tipping Pat Cummins and Co. to avert the slide of the last two series and beat India 3-1 at home, but Shastri, who was overseeing the Indian proceedings as their head coach during the 2018-19 and the 2020-21 BGT, feels India have a solid chance to make it a trifecta of wins.

Shastri, humble as always, reminded Ponting of the last two tours and another interesting trivia dating back to seven years. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy has remained with India since 2017, when Virat Kohli's team defeated Steve Smith's touring Australia 2-1 at home. Since then, Australia have played India three times in a full-fledged series comprising four Tests each – twice on home soil and once away – but haven't been successful in reclaiming the prestigious silverware. And Shastri, who followed the action from close quarters, is fully confident of a similar outcome this time around as well.

"The Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia over five Test matches is going to be a humdinger. Remember, India have beaten Australia twice on the last two tours and Australia have not had a hand on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in almost a decade and that's the reason why everyone will be waiting for these two heavyweights of Test match cricket over the last five to eight years to go head-to-head," Shastri said on The ICC Review Show.

"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."

Barring a few changes here and there, both teams are expected to remain unchanged from the last tour. The Indian team, in all likelihood, will feature Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill as their primary batters from the 2020-21 tour, while Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are believed to be replacing Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in the middle-order. The bowling attack promises to pick itself with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj likely to be partnered by the returning Mohammed Shami. Besides, the injection of some young blood is also on the cards with Gautam Gambhir as coach.

Australia will be seeking knowledge

The Australian pace attack is going to be unchanged as well, with Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and skipper Cummins shouldering the responsibilities. That Australia haven't beaten India in a Test series since 2014-15 would be hurting the Aussies, reckons Shastri, who has no doubt that the reigning World ODI and Test Champions would come out all guns blazing.

"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. 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," added Shastri.

"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. With (Jasprit) Bumrah fit, (Mohammed) Shami fit, you've got Mohammed Siraj there. You've got the likes of (Ravichandran) Ashwin and (Ravindra) Jadeja and some very good bench strength as well."

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