Labuschagne: India's Confidence May Be Dented, But They Remain a Formidable Opponent

India's recent home defeat to New Zealand has raised questions about their confidence ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series against Australia. However, Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne believes that the visitors remain a formidable opponent despite their setback.

Labuschagne acknowledged that India's loss to New Zealand could have dented their morale, especially considering it ended their 12-year unbeaten run at home. "They are probably a little bit lower on confidence, not coming off a Test victory, losing to New Zealand 3-0," he said.

However, Labuschagne emphasized that Australia would not underestimate India's capabilities. "They're a quality line-up and they're one of the best teams in the world. So you can never underestimate a team like that," he said.

Labuschagne recalled India's remarkable comeback in Australia in 2020-21, when they won the series 2-1 despite missing several key players. "That's what happened in 2021 – the likes of (T) Natarajan played, (Mohammad) Siraj got his first crack in Australia, Washington Sundar played," he said.

With India set to field a weakened team in the first Test due to injuries to Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, Labuschagne believes they still have ample talent to pose a challenge. "They're a quality line-up and they've showed that over a period of time. You can't ever underestimate the depth of Indian cricket," he said.

Labuschagne's comments highlight the respect that Australia has for India's cricketing prowess. Despite their recent struggles, India remains a formidable opponent with a deep pool of talented players. The Border-Gavaskar series promises to be a fiercely contested battle between two of the world's top cricketing nations.

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