I will back Australia but India are very good: James Faulkner

NEW DELHI: ‘India are favourites’ - this is what a large section of fans and some cricket pundits are saying ahead of the Border Gavaskar series which begins on Thursday, December 6. Australia will be without two of their star players – Steve Smith and devastating opener David Warner – who are serving bans for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal that rocked Australian cricket earlier this year.
And that perhaps gives Virat Kohli’s men a slight upper hand as they eye their maiden Test series win on Australian soil.
Australian all-rounder James Faulkner spoke to TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview about India's chances down under this time.
“I would back Australia at home but India are very very good", Faulkner said.
India captain Virat Kohli has been part of four Test series against Australia so far, both at home and in Australia. All eyes once again seem to be on Kohli, as the Aussies prepare special plans to tackle the prolific Indian skipper.
Commenting on Kohli, Faulkner laughed and said: “Virat is a superstar player. He has played many superb knocks in Australia. I just want to wish him all the best”.
India will face Australia in the first Test on December 6 in Adelaide, followed by second Test (December 14-18) in Perth, third Test (December 26-30) in Melbourne and the fourth and last Test (January 03-07) in Sydney.
Faulkner is currently playing for the Maratha Arabians in the T10 League in the UAE.
“I am giving myself time. I want to win this T10 league and then go home, enjoy summer and then, will play the Big Bash. I want to take it one step at a time,” Faulkner said.
Faulkner feels the T10 league is quite challenging and it will create a lot of buzz among fans.
“It is interesting. Let’s give it a couple of years, then we will see. There will be a lot of craze about this. Fans will turn up for this shortest format. It is quite entertaining," he said.
“It should go the way it is. Every team is studying the powerplay because you have just 10 overs. It is not something easy for both bowlers and batsmen," he said.
“My mindset is pretty similar in both T20 and T10 or any other format. You just need to back yourself. There is pressure in both formats,” Faulkner signed off.