Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25: The Border-Gavaskar series contested between India and Australia begins in Perth from Friday (November 22). Both teams are ready to play the series and the enthusiasm of the spectators has also reached the seventh heaven. In recent years, this series has taken a different form. Players are eagerly waiting for this series and why not, its story has been very interesting. In the last 10 years, both the teams have played this series five times, of which India won four times. India won twice on their own soil and twice in Australia.
Playing in Australia is not an easy task. Winning a series here is a distant dream but India achieved this feat twice. For the first time, when Australia were playing without their most skilled players, Steve Smith and David Warner, and for the second time, when both were back in the team. Each time there was a change in the team, but there was no change in the results of the series.
But now the situation has changed greatly. Australia has achieved great feats at home in the last three years under the leadership of Pat Cummins. With the victory in the Ashes series, Australia won all test series at home. At home, since 2021, Australia has played 17 matches of which they won 12. Their bowlers played a very important role in this. In addition to the trio of Australian fast bowlers – Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc – another fast bowler has been added, whose name is Scott Boland.
Indian batsmen must avoid the pace of these five players.
Australia hasn’t made many changes to its bowling in recent years. Apart from four bowlers, they also have a part-time all-rounder. But this time there is a good chance that the Australian team will field a spinner along with four fast bowlers. In Australia, bowlers also get better speed and uneven bounce. In such a situation, today we tell you which are the five bowlers who can give a tough challenge to the Indian batsmen.
1. Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins, the captain of the Australian team and popularly known in the world as ‘Silencer’, is the greatest link in this team. He knows very well how to get wickets for his team at the right time. Cummins has performed great feats against India many times. Cummins also played a major role in the BGT series which last ran in Australia. Cummins made Australia world champions twice against India last year (once in the World Test Championship and the second time in the ODI World Cup in 2023). This time too the eyes of Australian fans will be on Pat Cummins.
Pat Cummins: Bowling at home during 2021-2024
| Proof | 15 |
| entrance | 29 |
| severe | 71 |
| economy | 2.66 |
| better | 5/38 |
| average | 17.95 |
| 5W/10W | 5/1 |
2. Natan Leon
For Australia, after Shane Warne, if any Australian spinner has made his mark across the world in Tests, it is Nathan Lyon. Considered the team’s wicket-keeper, Lion is very effective in Australia. Looking at his stats in the Australian field, no one will believe that he is included in the team as a spinner. India also have very good spinners, but if any bowler has the art of taking wickets, it can only be the Lion. Their recent record at home has also been tremendous. Given the strike rate at which he has suffered setbacks, the Indian batsmen will have to come up with a different strategy against him.
Nathan Lyon: Bowling at home during 2021-2024
| Proof | 17 |
| entrance | 31 |
| severe | 64 |
| economy | 2.63 |
| better | 6/128 |
| average | 27.40 |
| 5W/10W | 1/0 |
3. Josh Hazlewood
Josh Hazlewood has been able to act as a problem solver for Australia many times. This tall Australian fast bowler has defeated many great batsmen, one of whom is Virat Kohli. Last time, when India scored 36 points in the pink ball Test, Josh Hazlewood played the biggest role. He took five wickets in that match. Hazlewood is known for its line and length. He believes in bowling the batsman on the same line for hours.
Josh Hazlewood: Bowling at home during 2021-2024
| Proof | 10 |
| entrance | 20 |
| severe | 45 |
| economy | 2.38 |
| better | 5/35 |
| average | 17.97 |
| 5W/10W | 2/0 |
4. Scott Boland
Australia already had a group of three lethal bowlers. But now another bowler’s name has been added to it. Since Scott Boland joined the Australian team, he has made this team’s fast bowling attack more lethal. Boland’s fast-paced ball and high swing make bowling more difficult. Boland also played brilliantly in the World Test Championship against India. It remains to be seen if they will defeat India this time too.
Scott Boland: Bowling at home during 2021-2024
| Proof | 6 |
| entrance | 12 |
| severe | 28 |
| economy | 2.20 |
| better | 6/7 |
| average | 12.21 |
| 5W/10W | 1/0 |
5. Mitchell Starc
If anyone has taken charge of Australia’s new ball in recent years it is Mitchell Starc. There is fear of them everywhere, and there should be. If a bowler comes towards you with the new ball and bowls it at a speed of 140 km per hour, then the batsman will surely be worried. Starc knows how to swing the ball both ways. If the Indian batsmen want to win the first hour of the match, they will have to overcome Starc’s challenge.
Mitchell Starc: Bowling at home during 2021-2024
| Proof | 16 |
| entrance | 32 |
| severe | 59 |
| economy | 3.29 |
| better | 4/37 |
| average | 28.06 |
| 5W/10W | 0/0 |
Indian batsmen are no less than anyone
However, the Indian team’s batting is also no less. Apart from Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill may not play the first Test either, but still the Indian team’s batting is very strong. The Indian batsmen will play without fear under the leadership of Virat Kohli. This time the Indian team also includes young talents, who will be very interesting to watch. Batsmen like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Devdutt Padikkal would like to secure their place in the team by scoring runs on this tour.
India does not lack experience either. Batsmen like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant have also scored many runs on the tour of Australia in the past. India has good all-rounders who can support the team in difficult times. There are a lot of expectations from R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, but one player everyone is eagerly waiting for is Nitish Kumar Reddy. Nitish has been doing well in domestic cricket and recently showed good intentions during the Australia tour. In such a situation, the Indian batsmen will have expectations that they will do well on the Australia tour this time as well.
Indian team for Australia tour: Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (goalkeeper), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (goalkeeper), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj , Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Devdutt Padikkal.
Australian team for the first test: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.
What time does the match start: According to Indian time, the match will start at 7:50 minutes and you can watch it on Star Sports or Hotstar.
Indian team tour of Australia (November-January 2025)
November 22-26: First Test, Perth
December 6-10: second test, Adelaide
December 14-18: Third Test, Brisbane
December 26-30: Fourth Test, Melbourne
January 3-7: Fifth Test, Sydney
Story Entry: Parv Jain
