Dean Jones Compares Virat Kohli's Team With the Potent Windies Side of 80s

Former Australian batsman Dean Jones has compared Virat Kohli’s team with the potent side of the West Indies in the 1980s. Jones believes the current Indian side has the same fear factor as the legendary Windies side. India has done well in the recent past and they have shown the promise to win in any conditions across the globe.

India had a successful tour to Australia where they won their first ever Test series on the Australian soil. Furthermore, they also won the ODI series by 2-1. However, the T20I series was tied. Jones believes this was the greatest tour to Australia for the Indian side.

Dean Jones wrote in his column for Times of India, “This was the greatest tour that India has ever had to Australia. The only blemish was probably the way they played in the Test match in Perth, but overall the great thing was that a lot of the boys played well overseas. Everyone did something on the tour to contribute.”

Dean Jones believes India ticked the right boxes. The bowling battery is going from strength to strength. Yuzvendra Chahal scalped six wickets in the series decider when he was playing his first match of the series. Furthermore, the other bowlers also chipped in their contribution.

“The emergence of Chahal on his first outing Down Under was awesome, while Kuldeep Yadav continues to impress and had a wonderful ODI series. He showed everyone why he’s so good. Shami worked long and hard in the Tests and then backed that up with another superb ODI series. Sharma was brilliant in the one-dayers too, while Virat Kohli led magnificently right through,” Jones wrote.

On the other hand, MS Dhoni also returned back to form in the ODI series. Dhoni scored 193 runs in the series and he was adjudged the Man of the series for his performance with the bat.

“The main ‘problem’ is Dhoni. He’s back in this team and the question is will India if push comes to shove, play India play Rishabh Pant as just a batsman? India couldn’t be having a better journey for their World Cup campaign than what they are having now and they have got to make sure they finish off New Zealand as well. What would be the worst thing to ruin this would be to go out to against the Black Caps and drop their guard,” Jones opined.

Meanwhile, Dean Jones believes India now has that scare factor which the West Indies team carried. Jones said India must not take a step back and continue in the similar fashion to prove their mettle.

“India now are no different to what the West Indies were in the eighties and early nineties. They have got to maintain the reputation that they can win in anyone’s backyard now and must not take the foot off the pedal. The Windies were brilliant at it and had that “scare factor”, which is what India have now,” Jones opined.

India has done well in the recent past and would like to continue in a similar fashion. Men in Blue will now take on New Zealand in five ODIs and three T20Is.