EXPLAINER
What’s at stake as India face world Check champions Australia within the five-match collection? Who’re the important thing gamers? Al Jazeera solutions.
Cricket powerhouses India and Australia are set to resume their fierce rivalry in a five-match Check collection within the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which will get beneath method in Perth on Friday.
Hundreds of thousands of followers world wide are anticipated to observe the collection as a few of the sport’s greatest stars, together with Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Mitchell Starc, Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins and Steve Smith, take to the sector for seven and a half weeks of Check cricket motion within the Australian summer time.
Right here’s all the pieces it’s essential to know concerning the collection:
What’s the complete match schedule of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
- First Check, Perth Stadium, Perth: November 22-26, 2024 from 10:20am (02:20 GMT) to five:20pm (09:20 GMT)
- Second Check, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide: December 6-10, 2024 from 2:30pm (04:00 GMT) to 10pm (11:30 GMT)
- Third Check, Brisbane Cricket Floor, Brisbane: December 14-18, 2024 from 10:20am (00:20 GMT) to five:20pm (07:20 GMT)
- Fourth Check, Melbourne Cricket Floor, Melbourne: December 26-30, 2024 from 10:30am (11:30 GMT) to five:30pm (18:30 GMT)
- Fifth Check, Sydney Cricket Floor, Sydney: January 3-7, 2025 from 10:30am (11:30 GMT) to five:30pm (18:30 GMT)
What’s at stake within the India vs Australia Check collection?
Aside from the tangible – a shiny golden trophy – each groups can be combating for a spot within the World Check Championship (WTC) last 2025.
A collection win for India might consolidate their Check dominance over their rivals, whereas an Australian win might mark a shift in energy to the Southern Hemisphere.
Underneath one week 🤩
How excited are we for the primary Check of the Border-Gavaskar collection? pic.twitter.com/utXnzjMoIS
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) November 15, 2024
How can India and Australia qualify for the World Check Championship 2025 last?
The WTC leaderboard is set by share factors and, earlier than the opening match, Australia pip India by 4.2 share factors. The present champions are on 62.50 factors, with India on 58.33 factors.
Sri Lanka (55.56), New Zealand (54.55) and South Africa (54.17) are separated by 1.39 factors with all prime 5 set to play a minimum of one Check collection every till the WTC last in June.
For India to qualify with out relying on the outcomes of different collection, they have to beat Australia with a minimal of a 4-0 scoreline.
The hosts, in the meantime, should win 5 of their seven remaining Checks to seal their place in a second consecutive WTC last. Ought to Australia beat India 4-0, they would want to beat Sri Lanka (away) 1-0.
Who’re the important thing Indian gamers to look at?
- Virat Kohli: Arguably India’s greatest sports activities star of his era, Kohli has traditionally relished the chance to set his document straight and silence his critics with standout performances in essential collection. The flamboyant batting nice enters the collection on the again of a lean patch – by his excessive requirements – that has seen him rating only one century in his final 10 Check matches. But when there’s one nation Kohli loves touring, it’s Australia. Outdoors India, Kohli’s highest Check common (54.08) and most Check centuries (six) have are available in Australia.
- Rohit Sharma: The Indian captain is more likely to miss the primary Check match for private causes, however Rohit can be desperate to brush apart his current poor kind and make an impression on the collection along with his affect as a pacesetter and talent to attain fast runs. The 37-year-old will even look to set proper his unimpressive Check document in Australia, the place he averages 31.38 in seven Checks with 63 being his highest rating. Ought to the attacking right-hand discover his greatest kind, India can be assured of posing a stiff problem to the hosts.
- Jasprit Bumrah: India’s vice-captain, who will lead the facet within the opening Check because of Rohit’s absence, is broadly considered one of many main quick bowlers of his era. His tempo and expertise are more likely to go up a notch on the bouncy and skiddy Australian pitches, significantly in Perth, and the 30-year-old’s efficiency will play a key position in India’s success in the course of the collection.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal: The younger opener has swiftly established himself as a mainstay within the Indian Check facet however has but to play a Check collection towards Australia. Touted as one of many batters to look at within the subsequent decade or so, Jaiswal will look to make his mark towards the reigning Check champions on this significant tour.
- Sarfraz Khan: For a batter who likes to play dangerous, high-scoring pictures and tackle quick bowlers, a Check collection Down Underneath might show to be a make-or-break journey for Sarfraz’s profession. The 27-year-old likes placing on huge scores and at a excessive strike fee. The likes of Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood, although, will show a tricky problem for the Mumbai batsman.
Ravi Shastri says underestimate Virat Kohli at your peril 🏏
Extra from the #ICCReview 👉 pic.twitter.com/X9kpNETd3Z
— ICC (@ICC) November 15, 2024
Who’re the important thing Australian gamers to look at?
-
- Travis Head: A continuing thorn within the Indian staff’s facet, Head’s efficiency on the prime of the batting order will set the tone for the remainder of the Australian batting order towards their nice rivals. The opener’s poor kind could also be a priority for the hosts but when there’s a staff Head has loved dealing with lately, it’s India. Be it the World Check Championship last or the 50-over World Cup last – each in 2023 – Head has managed to get on prime of the Indian bowling lineups in essential video games.
- Steve Smith: Smith, together with Kohli, is among the many most highly-rated batters over the previous decade and a half. The previous Australian captain has not scored a Check century since June 2023 however he loves enjoying towards India. Smith averages 65.87, with 9 centuries, in 19 Checks towards the guests.
- Pat Cummins: Australia’s calm captain is without doubt one of the most deadly and correct quick bowlers on the earth, who thrives in house situations. Cummins can be an efficient lower-order batter who’s able to not solely scoring runs, but in addition defending the tail-end gamers in powerful conditions.
- Mitchell Starc: The left-handed tempo menace leads the hosts’ bowling assault. Starc has taken 48 wickets in his 18 Checks towards India and 35 of them have are available in Australia. The 34-year-old’s tempo and kind might have a giant position to play within the end result of the collection.
- Nathan Lyon: Veteran off-break bowler Lyon’s wicket-taking talents typically fly beneath the radar, due to his fast-bowling teammates’ exploits. The 36-year-old has 121 Indian dismissals to his identify in 27 Checks at a bowling common of 31.56. Lyon is among the many main wicket-takers for Australia in current Check matches, with 22 wickets in 5 Checks towards India since February 2023.
Which Indian and Australian gamers might make their Check debuts?
- Abhimanyu Easawaran: India
- Harshit Rana: India
- Nitish Kumar Reddy: India
- Nathan McSweeney: Australia
- Josh Inglis: Australia
What’s the head-to-head document of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
The bilateral Check collection between India and Australia have been contested beneath this title since 1996-97, when India gained the lone Check at house to bag the trophy.
In whole, the collection has been performed 16 occasions and India have emerged victorious on 10 events, with 5 collection wins going Australia’s method and one drawn collection in 2003-04.
Right here’s how the final 5 collection went:
- Australia in India (2022-23): India gained the four-match collection 2-1
- India in Australia (2020-21): India gained the four-match collection 2-1
- India in Australia (2018-19): India gained the four-match collection 2-1
- Australia in India (2016-17): India gained the four-match collection 2-1
- India in Australia (2014-15): Australia gained the four-match collection 2-0
Australia’s squad
For first Check: Pat Cummins (captain), Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
India’s squad
For the collection: Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar