As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) approaches, the cricketing world is abuzz with anticipation of what is widely regarded as one of the sport's most intense rivalries, India versus Australia. The series, set to commence on November 22, features the top two teams in Test cricket, adding an extra layer of excitement. Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has shared his thoughts on the significance of the rivalry. "We're the world number one and number two teams really over the last two years. We were there at the last World Test Championship together. The rivalry has always been huge. I take it as a sign of respect, and I know that Indians love beating Australia in any form of cricket," Khawaja said, according to Star Sports.
"The tradition that Australia has had over so many years as being one of the dominating teams in world cricket has staked that reputation," he added.
He emphasized the tradition of excellence that Australia has maintained over the years which has cemented its reputation as a dominant force in world cricket.
"I think for Indians it's always been the case to beat Australia," Khawaja noted.
Khawaja also pointed out that the rise of Indian cricket, particularly through the Indian Premier League (IPL), has added another dimension to this rivalry.
The recent success of the Indian team, including back-to-back series wins in Australia, has intensified the competition.
"More recently, you know, since the rise of India and IPL and everything else that happened, it's the same way with Australia against India. And particularly since India's beaten Australia in Australia the last two times.... It just means a little bit more," he added.
India's 'Big Three'
Australian spin veteran Nathan Lyon has identified three Indian batters he feels will be the ‘Big Three’ wickets during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home starting from November this year. The Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia will begin on November 22, with the first Test at Perth. Speaking to Star Sports ahead of the series, Lyon picked star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant as three big wickets, but also acknowledged that his opponents have got an “amazing line-up” overall.
"Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant are probably going to be the three really big ones. But then you have still got Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and who else will come out–another five, I am not sure. But it is a pretty amazing line-up they have got, so it is going to be a massive challenge. As I said, if we, as a bowling group, are good enough for long periods, hopefully, we can challenge their defense," he said.
Virat Kohli's Dominance in Australia
Kohli's Test record in Australia is prolific, scoring 1,352 runs at an average of 54.08 in 13 Tests, with six centuries and four fifties in 25 innings. His best score is 169. Overall in 25 Tests against Australia, he has scored 2,042 runs at an average of 47.48, with eight centuries and five fifties in 44 innings.
Rohit Sharma's Consistency
Rohit has played seven Tests in Australia, scoring 408 runs in 14 innings at an average of 31.38, with three half-centuries and a best score of 63*. Overall against the current World Test Championship (WTC) title holders, the ‘Hitman’ has played 12 Tests, scoring 708 runs at an average of 33.71, with a century and three fifties. His best score is 120.
Rishabh Pant's Explosiveness
Pant has a fine record in Australia, scoring 624 runs in seven matches and 12 innings on Australian soil at an average of over 62, with a century and two half-centuries. His best score is 159*.
The Gabba Challenge
The second Test, scheduled for December 6 to 10 at Adelaide Oval, will feature the exciting day-night format under the stadium's lights. After that, fans will turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test, which will be held from December 14 to 18. The customary Boxing Day Test, set for December 26 to 30 at Melbourne's storied Melbourne Cricket Ground, will bring the series to its penultimate stage. The fifth and final Test, taking place at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, will serve as the series climax, promising a dramatic conclusion to an exciting contest.
Lyon's Record Against India
In 27 Tests against India, Lyon has taken 121 wickets at an average of 31.56, with the best bowling figures of 8/50. He has taken nine five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket hauls against Australia.
The Indian Team's Rise to Dominance
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting revealed that the Indian players are no longer daunted by the prospect of playing at venues like the Gabba in Brisbane or the Optus Oval in Perth. Ponting explained that India's approach to Test cricket without any fear is the main reason for their recent success against Australia, particularly in the Border Gavaskar Trophy showdowns. Since their 2014 BGT win, Australia have not been able to win a single Test series against India, which has now extended to close to a decade. In addition, the Indian team broke the myth of Australia's dominance in tests as they first won the 2018/19 series and then went on to reclaim the trophy in the 2020/21 series, on Australian soil. The former Australian captain was speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast, where he was interviewed by former England captains and now pundits, Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain. During the podcast, one of the topics of discussion was the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy in November where India will tour Australia for a five-match Test series. The most memorable Test series between the two sides was during the BGT series in 2020/21 where India made a miraculous comeback to win the series after being humiliated in the Adelaide Test where they were bowled out for only 36 runs. "They [India] played incredibly well in Australia, the last two tours. They got bowled out for 36 in the second innings of the Test at Adelaide, and Virat Kohli then left and went home. It was like they're done, the series is gone, but [Ajinkya] Rahane took over and they ended up knocking the Aussies of in that series," Ponting said.
What was even more historic in that series was the fact that India had not only retained the trophy, but they also claimed victory at Australia's traditionally unbreachable fortress, at the Gabba, in Brisbane. "They won a game at the Gabba, which just doesn't happen," he added. Interestingly, Atherton pointed out that the upcoming series is significant because it is rare for India to tour Australia for a five-match Test series, over the standard three or four-match series. Moreover, the last five-match Test series between the two sides took place in the 1991/92 season, which Australia comfortably won 4-0.
India's Winning Formula
Further, Atherton asked the former Australia captain about what he thought was the "secret" behind India's dominance in recent BGT series against the Aussies. "I think their batsmen adapt to overseas batting conditions very well. I don't think they're as daunted by the Gabba or the Optus Oval, as they maybe once were." "Maybe it is a selection thing, or they just don't fear the big stage anymore," he said.
Ponting revealed that he has observed that Indian youngsters playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) are forced to adapt to high-pressure situations quickly, which has helped them eliminate the fear of playing in the big stages. "For the last 10 years being around the IPL, I've noticed that a lot of the young guys [don't fear the big stage anymore] as the IPL is high-pressure, it is like a World Cup for them. Their batsmen are all very aggressive stroke-making players. They are not scared of failing," he noted about the Indian cricketers.
Kohli's Leadership Impact
While Virat Kohli made his Test captaincy debut in 2014, it was as a stand-in for the injured MS Dhoni. However, his impact and presence as captain really started to rub off on his teammates from 2017, where India started making giant strides in the red-ball format. One of the key departments that succeeded under Kohli's leadership was fast bowling, which primarily included players such as Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami, who received the much-needed backing from their skipper to be ruthless and aggressive. "Their fast-bowling depth is great. The leadership in the last 6-7 years has been strong, going back to Kohli's start of captaincy, played a big role in turning the cricket around and Dravid has continued the same in the recent four years," Ponting said. "The influence of someone like that [Kohli] around a team would be great and they've got star players," he concluded.
Australian Perspective
Australia star batter Marnus Labuschagne reckoned that Indian pacers will make them a tough opponent to beat in Australian soil. "Both Australia and India, love the game and, they're at the top of their game at the moment. I mean the energy when these two teams play together is always high. There's always high anticipation. To these two teams, it doesn't matter where we're playing, if it's in England, Australia, or India, it's always a tough contest," Marnus Labuschagne told Star Sports. "India's fast bowling is very good, which is really what brings them in Australian conditions and make them such a tough team to beat in Australian conditions. Hopefully this summer we can turn the tables on India and put them under real pressure," Labuschagne added.
The World Test Championship's Impact
Rohit Sharma-led team India are currently on number one in the points table tally of the World Test Championship. The Men in Blue have played nine matches. Out of their nine outings, India won six matches, lost two and one match ended as a draw. Team India who were the finalists of the last edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. They will play 10 more Test matches until January to qualify for the final of WTC. India will host Bangladesh and New Zealand for the two and three Test matches respectively and after the team will travel to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024. India have won their last two editions in Australia and the team will look for a hat-trick on Australian soil.
Conclusion
The upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy promises to be a thrilling contest between two of the best Test cricket teams in the world. With India's recent dominance in Australia and the presence of world-class players on both sides, the series is sure to be a captivating spectacle for fans worldwide.
