Ahead of the third match in the Border-Gavaskar series, West Indian opener Chris Gayle pointed out that India now has the advantage. He believes the team is riding a wave of confidence after dominating the hosts with a decisive 8-wicket win in the second Test at the MCG.
Gayle anticipates the SCG surface will favor batters initially and gradually shift to support spinners, consistent with the ground's history. Given that Kuldeep Yadav has already secured a five-wicket haul here, and with Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin performing exceptionally well throughout the series, Gayle sees India as the favorites.
The 'Universe Boss' also credited India's depth for their strong comeback in Melbourne. He noted that despite the setback in Adelaide and the absence of heavyweights like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, and Ishant Sharma, the supporting cast and younger players performed admirably to ensure the series remained tied.
Drawing on his experience of 42 international hundreds and 13,000+ T20 runs, Gayle remarked that although Kohli's impact is unique, Rahane's captaincy and stellar century demonstrate that India has more than enough talent in their squad to compete at the highest level.