The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is considered one of the fiercest rivalries in Test cricket. Every time India and Australia have met, there have been memorable moments and great performances on the pitch. Australia and India are currently ranked number one and two, respectively, in the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings. When both legendary teams meet in Nagpur on February 9, it will be interesting to see who will have the upper hand. Look at those five players, on whose performance everyone’s eyes will be on.
Former Indian captain and veteran batsman Virat Kohli is one of the best batsmen in the Indian cricket team. Although his bat has not scored as many runs in Test cricket for some time, he has recently performed with a bang in white-ball cricket. It will be interesting to see if King Kohli will look in his old style when he takes the field against Australia. Kohli has 1682 runs in 20 matches against Australia at an average of 48.05, including seven centuries and five half centuries.
Ravindra Jadeja, who has been out of action since August 2022 due to a knee injury, would like to make a strong comeback in the upcoming series against Australia. Along with his bowling, his batting will also be crucial in providing stability in the middle order. Aside from the ball and bat, he can also beat the opposing team with his fielding. Jadeja has taken 63 wickets in 12 Tests against Australia at an average of 18.85, including three five-wicket hauls.
Given his excellent form in the limited series, Shubman Gill may open with captain Rohit Sharma in this year’s Border Gavaskar. He scored the winning Test century against Bangladesh in December and scored his first ODI double century in January. In the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the young batsman scored 259 runs in three matches at an average of 51.80, with a top score of 91 at Gabba.
Steve Smith is one of Australia’s most reliable batsmen. He is also in impressive shape. In the recent series against South Africa, he scored 231 runs in four innings. It will not be easy for the Indian bowlers to beat Smith in the next series. Smith’s bat works well in Test cricket. He has scored 8647 runs in this format and his average is 60.9.
Nathan Lyon, the top level player, can prove very influential in India’s pitching. This 35-year-old spinner can be a huge threat to the Indian team throughout the Test series. Lyon have taken 460 wickets in 115 Test matches. Furthermore, he has dismissed King Kohli seven times in Test cricket.
