Australia go into their four Test series with India, which begins in Bangalore on Thursday, with many questions to answer. The controversial omission of Andrew Symonds and the inexperience of several members of their bowling attack, not least in the threadbare spin-bowling department, has created an unusual air of uncertainty around the side’s prospects. Even the captain, Ricky Ponting, is under pressure as he tries to overturn a tortuous personal record in India.

India will present a fierce challenge in a series that is now as much a flagship for Test cricket as the Ashes, with the authorities praying that this year’s match-up will be remembered for the cricket rather than the controversies. Our panel give their predictions below.

Edward Craig
Deputy editor of The Wisden Cricketer

Australia 2-0. Because the Aussies always win and the Indians are complacent. Ponting’s inability to score runs in India is a blip – he’s the best batsman in the world and is due to put that record right. I’d love the Indians to do it but their hype and hope is setting them up for a painful fall.

Benj Moorehead

Editorial assistant of The Wisden Cricketer

It’s as tough to pick a winner here as it was the England-South Africa series this summer. A draw perhaps: 1-1. But if there’s victory it’ll belong to Australia. Should the Australians pull ahead in the first pair of back-to-back Tests then an India comeback seems unlikely (though it’s happened before). But given the reverse scenario, ­ an early India lead, ­ then Australia’s recovery would seem entirely possible.

In passing, it’s sad to see back-to-back Tests dominating the series. When South Africa play Australia in December all three Tests will be take place immediately after each other. Players should be given more time to rest and prepare for each match to preserve the quality of cricket and allow the narrative of a series to be told gradually rather than be shot through in an instant.

Rob Smyth

Freelance journalist

It depends on the pitches. If India prepare dustbowls Australia have nowhere to hide, but if they don’t Australia’s superior mental strength, both in top-order batting and new-ball bowling, should be decisive.

King Cricket

Blogger extraordinaire

2-1 to India. At least one groundsman will fail to co-operate and will roll out a strip perfect for pace bowlers and that’s where the Aussies will pick up a win.

Piyush Chawla to win the deciding match having not previously featured.

At least one Australian spinner to have a stillborn Test career. Maybe even three of them, depending on injuries.

That said, we’re loath to dismiss Australia, despite their apparent weaknesses. Being reluctant isn’t the same as being unwilling though.

JRod

Paul Hogan fan and blogger

Australia looks like a team searching for water in the Tube, India looks like a team who sits at the bus stop all day, but never get on. So how do you pick a winner? Logic says that Australia struggle in India, and form says India couldn’t beat a piñata. Logic sucks. India have lost early on in their recent series and have never come back to win, so they lose the first or second Test and they look better after that and they just get over the line for a 2-1 series loss. Of course there is a chance that neither team will be able to take 20 wickets (in the whole series), so it could be 0-0. But I will stick by my guns, and say 2-1 Australia, put it in a double with Bryce McGain to win man-of-the-series, money for jam, I expect big things from the kid.

Sam Collins

Web editor of www. thewisdencricketer.com

2-1 to India, if their attack can live up to they hype and prolong Ponting’s freakish run on their soil. The key will be who among the overly green Australian change bowlers and the overly grey Indian top-order can have a telling influence on the series.

A bad trot for the Aussies this winter would pose some serious questions ahead of the Ashes, not least who in baggy green is actually capable of spinning it to win it. The decision to leave Symonds at home could prove short-sighted, but a fool would write them off.