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This will be a Sachin vs Australia series: Gavaskar

October 21, 2009 19:53 IST

Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has warned the Australians to be wary of in-form Sachin Tendulkar, saying the Indian star would come out all guns blazing against them in the upcoming seven-match ODI series, starting on October 25.

"Sachin has been out of cricket for sometime now (last played on September 28) and I think, now he is ready to go back and show that he still has all the shots in the book. I think, it (the series) will be Sachin against the Australians," Gavaskar said.

Sunil Gavaskar"He will be opening the batting for India. So I think they will be looking to get him out to psychologically scare the Indians," he said.

Considering the recent impressive form of the Australians, who won the Champions Trophy early this month, Gavaskar said the series would be a hard-fought one.

"Ponting has been captain of the Australian team both times during consecutive Ashes loss in England, he will be determined now to make people forget that, which can only happen with him scoring heavily and leading Australia to victories," Gavaskar told CNN-IBN.

"That's the way he approached the seven-match ODI series against England after the Ashes; then also in the Champions Trophy. I think that's the way they are going to play till they come up against England in Australia in 2011," he added.

The former captain advised Indian batsmen to be wary of the Australian seam bowling attack.

"Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle are going to be a handful, make no mistakes about that. We saw in the Champions Trophy, they have not given too many runs except an odd match. And Lee has bowled brilliantly in the Champions League," Gavaskar said.

"So I don't think it's going to be easy for the Indian batsmen but for the likes of (Virender) Sehwag and (Gautam) Gambhir, there are no such things as a good length or a good delivery. And if they get going, it won't matter who is bowling," he said.

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