"Half of India better than fully fit Australia" - Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar is left impressed by the spirit shown by India against Australia in the ongoing Test series.

Team India, bruised with injuries - with as many as five players ruled out of the Test series - bounced back strongly after each and every setback during the series.

According to Akhtar, irrespective of how the Border-Gavaskar series ends, India's courage is something to be very proud of.

“Most of their players are injured, but this is the beauty of the Indian team is that despite all the setbacks, they are playing with kids who never would have thought in their wildest of dreams that they'll have to play against Australia in such a scenario." Shoaib Akhtar said on his Youtube channel.

"With Australia coming with full strength and India stopping their onslaught, I’d believe that this half Indian team is better than fully-fit Australia,” Akhtar added

Shoaib Akhtar addressed India's injury woes and praised their bench strength

Team India's first loss to injury was Mohammed Shami after the Adelaide Test, when the speedster fractured his right arm while batting. Next, Umesh Yadav sustained an injury on his calf muscle during the Melbourne Test and was consequently ruled out of the tour.

Right before the Test at the SCG, India suffered another major blow when KL Rahul picked up a sprain on his wrist while batting in the nets. To further worsen matters for India, the team suffered two more injury blows - Ravindra Jadeja dislocated his finger and Hanuma Vihari toore his hamstring.

All this, adding to the fact that captain Virat Kohli had already returned to India after the first Test, and was unavailable for selection.

India recovered from the humiliating defeat at Adelaide, and defeated Australia in the next Test at the MCG followed by a historic fightback to save an almost-lost Test at Sydney.

According to Shoaib Akhtar, if India manage to even draw the Brisbane Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 should be regarded as their greatest Test series of all time.

“With so many injuries, only two big name players are left - Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane. Inexperienced Indian players are up against a ball of fire but they are making sure that Australia is being tested. Now imagine, if with this team, India can grab hold of this Test match, I would assume this would become India's biggest Test series in history,” he said.

India are without two of their senior-most bowlers, R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah going in the Gabba Test. Their premier bowlers missed a place in the XI due to a back spasm and an abdominal strain respectively.

“You enter the final Test but you don't have the team. And yet, they're fighting. This is the character I'm talking about. I won't call it a B team, but if with this they are able to strengthen their grip on the Test, and even if are able to draw, I'd believe it will be a historic moment. There's a lot to be proud of,” Akhtar said.

UPDATE - Navdeep Saini has now gone for scans.#AUSvIND https://t.co/pN01PVnFfx

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 15, 2021