Long-time teammates Peter Goodchap and Vikas Malhotra put friendship on hold for Test series

LONG-time Queens teammates Vikas Malhotra and Peter Goodchap will put friendship aside this summer as Australia and India launch their latest battle royale in Adelaide today.

LONG-time Queens teammates Vikas Malhotra and Peter Goodchap will put friendship aside this summer as Australia and India launch their latest battle royale in Adelaide today.

Goodchap and Malhotra have been mates from the time the latter arrived at Queens in 1997 after making the move from India, but that will be forgotten during the four Border-Gavaskar Tests over the next month.

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“It’s always a fun rivalry we have, there’s always friendly banter,” Goodchap said.

“We don’t rub each other’s nose in it (if our team wins). It’s more ‘ok, they were better this time’, because it’s been back and forward a lot. Every time Australia goes to India, India smash us.

Queens teammates Vikas Malhotra and Peter Goodchap will be barracking for India and Australia respectively in the Border-Gavaskar Test series. Picture: Brett Amos

“To be honest, this is the best opportunity India has had to beat Australia in Australia and it wouldn’t surprise me if they do.”

Echoing Goodchap’s sentiment, Malhotra predicted India to break their duck Down Under with a 2-0 series win.

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“If the first two days go in either team’s favour, I think that will set the tone for the rest of the series. But I don’t it’ll be 4-0 to Australia like it has been in the past,” Malhotra, whose 10 and 12-year-old sons support Australia, said.

“This is the best chance India has had because it’s the first time India has the bowling attack to take 20 wickets. They’ve taken 20 wickets against England, 20 wickets against South Africa so that’s going to be the difference.”