Border-Gavaskar Trophy: After a humiliating defeat at home against New Zealand, India will look to bounce back as they face Australia in the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The five-match Test series kicks off in Perth on Friday, and India’s resolve will be tested on Australia’s fast and bouncy pitches.
India’s Solid Record Against Australia
India enters the series with a good record against Australia in the past four series, they have won, and two of those have come in Australia. They last lost to the Aussies in the 2014-2015 season, so this series could be important in maintaining their dominance.
Despite the recent setbacks, particularly the disastrous home series against New Zealand, India carries on with much confidence in their abilities. The Indian batting line-up faces a test of character but will have to deal with the Perth pitch, known for bouncing a cricket ball.
India Faces Challenges Ahead Of The Series
India will miss the services of captain Rohit Sharma in the series opener, who stayed back in India after the birth of his second child. They would also miss the services of their opening batsman Shubman Gill, who suffered a thumb fracture during a practice game.
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KL Rahul To Open
KL Rahul will open and be under tremendous pressure for a few games since Rohit is away, and he has not exactly been himself lately with scores of 0, 12, 4, and 10 in the last games. Rahul will have to get into form soon, considering the support at the other end in the form of young, aggressive opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Devdutt Padikkal To Replace Shubman Gill
India has surprised everyone by bringing in a player not in the 18-man squad, Devdutt Padikkal, for No. 3 in place of Shubman Gill. Padikkal showed promise during the unofficial Test series against Australia A but has been inconsistent while playing in Australia.
The Key Player: Virat Kohli
India’s batting hopes are likely to lie a lot on the shoulders of Virat Kohli, who has got runs in Australia in the past over 1,350 with an average of 54 and with six hundred plus innings already. Kohli comes into the series with a far-from-satisfactory year so far, after averaging only 22.72 in six Tests played in 2024. A good hour’s bowling at him must test his capacity to bounce back and lead the fight.
Rishabh Pant: A Match-Winner
Rishabh Pant, one of the performance stars in India’s 2021 series victory against Australia, will be one other cricketer to look up to. His aggressive batting can ruffle the Australian dressing room a bit, and Pant will want to build on his good series against New Zealand in which he added three half-centuries.
Dhruv Jurel To Slot In At No. 6
India could take a dynamic call on selection with the inclusion of Dhruv Jurel, who impressed in the unofficial Tests against Australia A with two fifties. Jurel, the wicket-keeper who is known for his keeping abilities, could replace the out-of-form Sarfaraz Khan at No. 6.
India’s Bowling Attack: Bumrah & Siraj Lead The Charge
Mohammed Shami is not considered, leaving India’s bowling attack to be spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah as a result. Bumrah will have to take the onus of responsibility for the fast bowling unit with his presence in the side.
Mohammed Siraj is likely to be his partner, as he performed well during his debut tour of Australia in 2020-2021.
The third seamer’s slot should go to Prasidh Krishna, as he can generate extra bounce which would be a threat in Perth’s conditions.
Spinners: Ashwin Vs Jadeja
India will have to make a tough call on spinners with Ravichandran Ashwin being a better option than Ravindra Jadeja on a Perth pitch that would offer good bounce. Ashwin has done reasonably well against Australia and would be an experienced tourist, making it easier for the men in blue.
Applying For All-Rounder: Nitish Kumar Reddy & Harshit Rana
India might even look to include a seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy or young pacer Harshit Rana, who have impressed in the nets. Reddy has been working on his batting and fielding skills, while his ability with both bat and ball makes Rana a surprise inclusion.
India’s Historic Opportunity For A Hattrick Series Win In Australia
Australia haven’t played any Test cricket since their series against New Zealand in early 2024. This could leave them a bit rusty when they play the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. On the other hand, India has a history of springing surprises in Australia and would look to exploit the lapses made early on.
This is the first head-to-head series which is closely contested with 12 Australian and 11 Indian series wins. This presents a golden opportunity for India to win a third consecutive series Down Under, something they have never done before.
India’s Probable Playing XI
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah (C), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ravindra Jadeja/Nitish Kumar Reddy/Harshit Rana.
