The different contests on the schedule of India’s tour of Australia later this year will add spice to the contest which will see a five-Test series for the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
As of now, India is atop the World Test Championship WTC standing heading toward the 2023-2025 cycle, with the final due at Lord’s in June next year.
Australia currently stands next to India second in ranking and both the teams will seek to remain in the top two so that they qualify for the finals which happens to be a repeat of the last WTC title match where Australia triumphed over India to be crowned champions.
Due to the upcoming competition, we will discuss some of the mini battles that are anticipated in the series due to how Australian players responded when requested to cite an Indian player with whom battles are enjoyable.
Noting the Australian Test captainate and fast bowler Pat Cummins, he is eager for another showdown with Shubman Gill, in contrast to that, Mitchell Starc opted for Virat Kohli as opposed to India’s captain Rohit Sharma who thrashed the Australian bowler for 29 runs in an over during their T20 world cup match in June this year.
“I must say, we have had enough cricket with each other,” said Starc in a Star Sports video regarding his confrontations with Kohli. “I have always had some good battles. I have gotten him out couple on instances and certainly, he has made his share of runs against me. Thus, it is always a fair fight and both of us are happy with it.”
As far as the Indian bowlers are concerned, it is Ravichandran Ashwin whom opener Travis Head and former captain Steven Smith consider as a threat.
“To put it mildly, worth his salt,” Smith said about the Indian cricketer, who, as of today, has over 500 Test wicket to his name. “He has the ability to alter the seam position of the different types of the ball he can bowl, according to the climatic or pitch’s conditions. He is a match winner and has always been one for so many years.”
His senior teammate Head couldn’t have been more right.
“He (Ashwin) is bearing down on you all the time… That’s always good, because you want to play well against the best bowlers,” the opener said.
Batsman Marnus Labuschagne has an eagerness to attack the Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj.
Labuschagne was heard saying he has known Siraj since their academy days.
“In fact we were at the (MRF) academy in 2015-16. To see the direction in which his career is progressing…He has tremendous passion, tremendous quality and great zeal for the game,” said the Australian.
India will launch the defence of the Border Gavaskar Trophy with the first Test against Australia in Adelaide on December 17.
