India’s former captain Sunil Gavaskar feels Australian skipper Pat Cummins will be the biggest threat to the home team as he is a terrific bowler. Cummins has led from the front since he has taken over the captaincy from Tim Paine.

In the absence of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, the onus will be on Pat Cummins to deliver as a fast bowler. Furthermore, there will be huge expectations from Nathan Lyon.

Cummins was the leading wicket-taker against India in the previous Border-Gavaskar series and he will be looking to replicate the same performance. Cummins has scalped 214 wickets in 47 Test matches at an impressive average of 21.25 and he is the World’s no.1 Test bowler in the ICC rankings.

“If memory serves right, the first time he took a five-wicket haul was in the subcontinent (5/34 on debut vs Sri Lanka in Galle, August 2011). Being the top bowler that Lyon is, he will always be attacking and probing, but the real threat is likely to be the pacers. Cummins is a terrific bowler, and, as we have seen in the past when the Australians are successful, it is their pace attack that has done the damage,” Gavaskar told The Telegraph in an interview.

The Little Master feels Australia’s pace attack has always played a key role in the success of the team and they are going to miss Josh Hazlewood, who has always been accurate.

“When the Australians are successful, it is their pace attack that has done the damage. With Josh Hazlewood likely to miss the first Test with an injury, the advantage could well lie with India,” Gavaskar said.

Gavaskar added that India will start as favorites as they will be playing in the home conditions.

“Both are superb teams and in cricket, you cannot predict. But, as always, the home side starts with an advantage with the crowd support, awareness of ground, weather and pitch conditions,” Gavaskar said.

The first Test match will be played in Nagpur from Thursday onwards.