India V Australia: Border Gavaskar Trophy Test Series 2024-25
Both teams will clash in a 5-match Test series after a gap of 30+ years, as they last had a 5-match series in red-ball cricket in 1991-92. I
India and Australia will add another extravaganza to their cricketing history with the Border Gavaskar Test Series from November 22, 2024, until January 07, 2025.
It will be played in Australia and will be a 5-match Test series. Both teams will clash in a 5-match Test series after a gap of 30+ years, as they last had a 5-match series in red-ball cricket in 1991-92. It will be an interesting time in cricket as India and Australia have built an interesting rivalry over the years. Let's delve into the details of the Border Gavaskar Trophy Test series.
Dates and Venues:
| Test Match | Dates | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | November 22-26, 2024 | Perth |
| 2nd Test | December 06-10, 2024 | Adelaide |
| 3rd Test | December 14-18, 2024 | Brisbane |
| 4th Test | December 26-30, 2024 | Melbourne |
| 5th Test | January 03-07, 2025 | Sydney |
Pitch Reports
Each venue will bring new challenges and test both teams' resilience.
- Perth is known for its bouncy conditions. Quick bowlers will benefit from that pitch, and batters will face a storm of short balls.
- The pink ball action will be on full display at the Adelaide Oval. It will be a balanced pitch, equally favouring the batter and the bowlers. The first three days will be hard for the bowlers. The last two days will bring some grip and spin for the spinners, and the grass cover will be helpful.
- The Gabba, Brisbane, will host the third match of the series. This surface will be great for the Pacers in the early days. However, batters and spinners will need to be on hand in the game's latter stages, as the pitch tends to become flatter with time.
- The fourth game will be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. The MCG provides one of the most competitive surfaces in the World, and it will be a tough battle between the bat and the ball.
- Sydney Cricket Ground will be the last stop in this Border Gavaskar Trophy series. The pitch here will have varying conditions. It will favour the Pacers with a new ball. However, scoring will be easier once the ball gets older.
Indian Team Preview
India is placed 2nd in the ICC Test Rankings, just below their rival team Australia. India has an advantage as they have recently won a couple of Test series against Australia. Also, India thrashed England in their last Test series, named the Anthony de Mello Trophy, with a lead of 4-1. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, the Indian cricket team has improved in red-ball cricket. They have been the runners-up in both ICC World Test Championships. Their youngsters have meshed well with the modern era of cricket. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill make them a stronger batting unit. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj make up a deadly duo of pace and swing. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are experienced spinners who are very efficient.
Key Players (India)
Yashaswi Jaiswal is a young cricket sensation who has overtaken the World since his debut last year. He has performed exceptionally well in the Test cricket. Jaiswal has scored 1028 runs in 9 Test games, averaging about 68.53. He has scored 3 centuries, including 2 double tons against England in the recent series. It will be fun to watch him being tested on the Australian soil. Other than him, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are the most significant batters for the Indian team. Their names need no introduction, and they are among one of the all-time greats of India.
Jasprit Bumrah is India's primary pacer in bowling. He has returned from injury better than ever. Bumrah was rested for a game against England, and he took 19 wickets in the 4 games he played. This included a 6-fer and a 4-fer. Ravichandran Ashwin has no match in spin bowling. He took 26 wickets in 5 Anthony de Mello Trophy matches, including two 5-fers. Another key player for India is Ravindra Jadeja, an excellent all-rounder. Alongside his magic bowling, he can bat in the lower middle order. In the series mentioned above against England, Jadeja had 19 wickets in 4 games and scored a century.
Australia Team Preview
Australia currently tops the ICC Test Rankings. Australia won the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23. They look unstoppable under Pat Cummins' captaincy. Australia recently toured New Zealand for a 2-match Test series, dominating the home team and white-washing the Kiwis. The Australian side is well-balanced, and everyone in the team fits perfectly into the oriented spot. Steve Smith is an exception who was tested as an opener in the recent series. He failed miserably, and there was a flaw in the opening pair after the retirement of David Warner. However, with a lethal pace attack and destructive batting, the Australian side has been untouchable recently.
Key Players
Usman Khawaja is an unstoppable force in his home country. He averages 52.87 in Australia. He will be a vital player for the Aussies in this series. Besides him, Marnus Labuschagne will play a significant role with the bat for his team. If you look at the aforementioned NZ tour, different players took the opportunity and played a key role for their team. Cameron Green scored an unbeaten 174 runs in a game. Alex Carey played his part with a 98* in the other game.
In pace bowling, Australia currently has the most destructive trio in the World. Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins can shatter any batting line-up. Hazlewood had a 5-fer in the most recent Test match. In spin bowling, Nathan Lyon has been a one-man wrecking crew. He had a 6-fer in the NZ series. He is the most consistent performer in modern cricket, with 530 wickets in Test Cricket and five 10-wicket hauls.
Overall, it will be an exciting series to watch, and the fans are eagerly waiting for the battle among the table-toppers of the ICC Test Rankings. India and Australia have built quite a rivalry over the years. Australia beat India in two consecutive ICC Tournament finals, the ICC World Test Championship and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. India will seek revenge in this Border Gavaskar Trophy Test series.
Betting Favourites
Anything involving Indian and Australian cricket attracts betters. Both teams are the most successful and the best teams in the World. So, the stakes are high for the betting experts. Here, we will discuss some key players who will be the best options to put your bets on.
India: Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant were the top performers on team India during the previous Australian tours. So, they will be key players for betters. In the bowling unit, Jasprit Bumrah and Muhammad Shami will do tricks with the bowl.
Australia: Travis Head and Steven Smith have an outstanding record against India, so they are key batters in Australia. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will be the key players for Australia in this series.
India V Australia Odds
| Outcome | Odds |
|---|---|
| Australia to win | 1.61 |
| India to win | 2.32 |
| Draw | 5.40 |