Chappell tips Australia as favourites but Expects fight from MSD & CO.

Former captain Ian Chappell feels the Indian team will be quite a handful for world champions Australia in the upcoming ODIs but the hosts will still be the favourites to win the five-game series as the visitors are short of one specialist batsman.

Chappell, in his column for the Daily Telegraph, said India are short of a specialist batsman in the touring squad and their fast bowlers are likely to be tested quite a bit by the Australian batsmen on the bouncy conditions here.

“Following a lacklustre Test season, the public is thirsty for some meaningful contests. What looms is a battle between the current (Australia) and previous (India) ODI World Cup holders. M.S. Dhoni will provide a true test for Australia and Steve Smith,” Chappell wrote.

“India has the big names and the talent to push Australia but I don’t see them beating the home side, as both teams ramp up their quest for another world title (World T20 in March to April in India),” he said.

“Australia will have a psychological advantage in the first two contests,” he added. Chappell questioned the non-inclusion of fast bowler James Pattinson in the Australian squad for the first two ODIs.