IND vs ENG 2021: "India will go on to win" - Sunil Gavaskar predicts Test series result

Sunil Gavaskar has backed Team India to beat England convincingly in the upcoming five-match Test series, which starts on August 4 (Wednesday) in Nottingham.

Although Virat Kohli & Co have lost a couple of crucial players to injury, Gavaskar believes India will easily trump a 'depleted' England side.

Getting into the groove for the 1⃣st #ENGvIND Test be like 👌 💪#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/giBp5nk09s

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 2, 2021

Speaking to The Hindu, Sunil Gavaskar said:

"My prediction is… again this time I am making it contingent to the weather. If the weather in August… I left England about 10 days ago and the weather was absolutely brilliant. It was hot most of the time. I am being told it is raining a little bit. If the hot conditions are there for 22 out of possible 25 days, then I think India will win 4-0."

"In case you have a situation where the weather is going to be a factor, then I think India will win 3-1, but I think India will still go on to win, because England is now a very depleted side and their batting, as we saw in the series against New Zealand is being brittle," Sunil Gavaskar added.

So far, India have managed to win only three (1971,1986 and 2007) and lost 14 of the 18 series they have played in England since 1932.

Team India will be charged up to improve their record in England when the series kicks off on Wednesday.

Virat Kohli will have an upper hand over James Anderson like 2018: Sunil Gavaskar

The Indian skipper will have to play a major role if India are to have a chance of winning the Test series. However, James Anderson's threat will be looming large. He provided all sorts of trouble to Kohli in 2014 but the Indian captain came up trumps in 2018.

Virat Kohli Vs James Anderson236 Runs565 Balls28 Fours5 Wickets Strike Rate 41.8 Average 47.2#ViratKohli #JamesAnderson

— The Cricverse School (@cricverse) July 29, 2021

However, Sunil Gavaskar believes an experienced Virat Kohli will boss Anderson, who is in the twilight of his international career.

"I wish I could predict an accurate answer. But looking at the way Kohli adapted in 2018, looking at the way he was so certain around off-stump, his shot selection was so immaculate, I just think Anderson as a fast bowler getting three-year older and Virat Kohli getting three years more experienced, and I think batsmen are at their peak around this 28-33-34, I do believe that Virat Kohli will come out triumphs like he did in 2018," Sunil Gavaskar added.

Virat Kohli turned out to be James Anderson's bunny during his first visit to the UK in 2014. Kohli got out to him four times and managed only 134 runs in 10 innings. But four years later, Kohli turned the tables on him, dishing out 593 runs from 10 innings at a brilliant average of 59.30.