Irfan Pathan names Axar Patel as a potential threat to Steve Smith

Axar Patel [Source: Twitter]

Australia's much-anticipated tour of India, which will see the visitors play a four-match Test series against the home side, begins next week. 

Ahead of the first Test in Nagpur, former all-rounder Irfan Pathan lavished praise on legendary Australian batter Steve Smith for his incredible consistency against India over the years. 

However, the Baroda-born expected Axar Patel to emerge as the biggest threat to Smith in the series. 

Here's what Pathan stated

"He (Smith) is definitely an Australian legend. He has troubled the Indian bowlers a lot, scoring tons of runs. Even if you know that he has got a solid bottom hand, still he finds ways to score runs in front of the wickets, on the off and leg side. So, Steve Smith will be a challenge for India, but I think one guy, who can actually have the numbers against him is Axar Patel. If he plays all the matches, the kind of trajectory he has, he can be a big threat to him."

Smith enjoyed stellar success when Australia toured India in 2017, amassing 499 runs at an astounding average of 71.29. 

After having a fruitful home summer, the batter showcased his extraordinary hitting skills in the Big Bash League. 

So, considering his record and red-hot form, we expect the talisman to emerge as a headache for India in the series. 

Also Read: ILT20 2023, ADKR vs SW: Preview, Pitch Report, Probable XIs and Prediction