After Ian Botham had predicted a 4-0 whitewash of the India team in the ongoing four-match Test series against England, another ex-skipper, Michael Vaughan, on Monday anticipated a similar scoreline.
"4-0 England in the Test series. Zaheer coming back was India's only hope. Big loss for them. Sorry to all my new-found Indian followers," Vaughan tweeted.
Vaughan said that without bowling spearhead Zaheer, it will be impossible for India to take 20 English wickets.
"Indian fans seem to be very blinkered. Just accept that without Zaheer, you will struggle to get 20 wickets in English conditions," he wrote.
England lead the four-match series 2-0 and a win in the third Test at Edgbaston will make them the No. 1 Test side in the world.
Blaming the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Indian team's disastrous show in England so far, Vaughan tweeted: "I think the IPL will be a long-term problem for the Indian Test team. Young players will focus towards T20 cricket rather than Test."
Another former England skipper Alec Stewart joined the chorus, saying only a miracle can save India now. "No Zaheer Khan spells more trouble for India. Do the fantastic loyal Indian fans seriously believe they can draw the series?" asked Stewart in his Twitter account.