Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25: The test series that cricket lovers are most looking forward to is about to begin. Yes, we are talking about the India vs Australia test series. This series is played for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). The history of this series has been very interesting, no matter who has the advantage, but the excitement of the match is worth watching. In this ball and bat battle, the players also collide with each other. Last time (2020/21), when this series was played in Australia, the competition was not just about ball and bat but also about intelligence and tolerance.
Every player in the Indian team had given their lives in that series, so India won 2-1 (4). But the Australian players were deeply hurt by that defeat. They couldn’t believe how they laid down their arms before India.
After that series, there were major changes to the Australian team. The team changed its captain (Tim Paine) and also its luck. The team proved to be more lethal at home. During 2021-2024, the Australian team played 17 home test matches, of which they won 12 matches. Apart from the players, their batsmen also played an important role in this victory.
BGT: India is in danger because of these 5 batsmen!
There have been many changes in the Australian team since 2021. Along with the change of captain, the form of the team’s players has also returned. Australia’s batsmen had also broken the backs of the visiting teams’ bowlers. They didn’t even give him a chance to get back into the game. Maybe he can do the same feat against the Indian team as well. We tell you which are the 5 batsmen who can pose a threat to the bowlers of the Indian team.
1.Marnus Labuschagne
In recent years, Marnus Labuschagne has become a reliable batsman for Australia. After Steve Smith, he is the one who has bothered the opposing team’s players. The rival team is now also developing strategies to stop Labuschagne. His batting record since 2021 has been tremendous. During this period, they have caused problems for the opposing team in most of their home games. He has scored a maximum of 1469 runs in 31 innings at an average of 56, which includes a total of 5 centuries. The last time India toured Australia in 2021, Labuschagne became an alarm bell for India. He likes to bat against the Indian bowlers and we saw proof of that in some of the recent matches.
Labuschagne: batting at home during 2021-2024
| Proof | 17 |
| entrance | 31 |
| Run | 1469 |
| higher | 204 |
| average | 56.50 |
| strike rate | 54.02 |
| 100/50 | 5/8 |
2.Steve Smith
There is no doubt that Steve Smith can single-handedly dominate the entire team. He doesn’t allow the front bowler to stabilize with his strange batting stance. If Smith survives once, he will only be able to lead his team to a huge score. If we talk about 2021 so far, he has had an excellent record in the house. However, India largely kept him quiet in the 2021 Test series. But who can stop a hungry lion for long? In the final of the 2023 World Test Championship, he scored a century against India and won the title for his team. During 2021-2024, Smith has so far played 30 innings at home, in which he scored 1347 runs. During this period, he scored 3 centuries with his bat. His best unbeaten score was 200 runs.
Steve Smith: Batting at home during 2021-2024
| Proof | 17 |
| entrance | 30 |
| Run | 1347 |
| higher | 200* |
| average | 53.88 |
| strike rate | 52.67 |
| 100/50 | 3/7 |
3. Travis Head
There will hardly be a cricket lover who doesn’t know Travis Head. This is the same batsman who stood between India and the ICC Trophy twice and snatched the game-winning game from India each time. November 19, 2023… Every Indian sports lover must have remembered this date, when Travis Head took the World Cup trophy from India. It was thanks to his innings that Australia defeated India in the Test Championship final. Head likes to bat against Indian bowlers and this batsman is once again leading the way between India and the BGT Trophy. His performance at home has been quite dangerous since 2021. Head has scored a total of 1082 runs in 21 innings played in 14 matches. With an average of 54.10, he has scored 4 centuries. Head has scored runs at a strike rate of 87.46, which is fast by the Test format.
Travis Head: Batting at home during 2021-2024
| phosphorus | 14 |
| entrance | 21 |
| Run | 1082 |
| higher | 175 |
| average | 54.10 |
| strike rate | 87.46 |
| 100/50 | 4/5 |
4. Usman Khawaja
Australian team opener Usman Khawaja has a good record at home. With his teammate David Warner, he has formed many strong partnerships for the team, thanks to which his team reached a strong position. Khawaja’s playing style is also worth watching. His way of playing in the line of the ball reminds us of the great Australian batsman Ricky Ponting. Well, this comparison would be wrong, but due to his style, he has also played many brilliant innings. At home since the year 2021, he has scored 1001 runs in 22 innings of 12 matches. Head has scored these runs with an average of 52.68, which also includes 3 centuries.
Usman Khawaja: Batting at home during 2021-2024
| phosphorus | 12 |
| entrance | 22 |
| Run | 1001 |
| higher | 195* |
| average | 52.68 |
| strike rate | 49.09 |
| 100/50 | 3/4 |
5. Alex Carey
During this period, if any team is mentioned about troubleshooting, then Australian Alex Carey’s name will appear at the top. He has given his best during the troubled Australian team. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that after Gilchrist, if Australia has a solid Test batsman, it could be Alex Carey. Carey arrives at the end of the innings to manage the score. Since his Test debut in the year 2021, Carey has played 15 matches in which he scored 576 runs with his bat, which is good for a lower-order batsman. He has also scored a century during this period. He also played an innings of 66 runs in the second innings of the Test Championship final against India, which also helped give the team a strong target.
Alex Carey: Batting at home during 2021-2024
| phosphorus | 15 |
| entrance | 20 |
| Run | 576 |
| higher | 111 |
| average | 32.00 |
| strike rate | 58.83 |
| 100/50 | 1/3 |
India lacks experienced bowlers
The BGT series this time will be very interesting. Captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir have been trying to take their best players on the tour of Australia. India have a good group of batsmen but the bowling seems mediocre in some aspects. Barring Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj, India lacks experienced bowlers. India have their traditional twins Ashwin and Jadeja, but on Australian pitches, spin bowling does not prove to be more effective than fast bowling.
Among the fast bowlers, India has the likes of Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who together have the experience of around 10 Test matches as well as at home. In such a situation, it would be a mistake to have expectations from him that he will wreak havoc on the Australian batsmen as soon as he arrives on the Australia tour. All the players are very capable, but the conditions in Australia are quite different from those in India. In addition to having ball speed, it is also important to bowl with the correct line and length. In such a situation, the less experienced players will not be able to cause much problems for the Australian batsmen, which they will be able to take advantage of in this series. Rohit Sharma will not play in the first Test, Bumrah will captain in his place.
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.
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.
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
