AUS vs IND, Tests 2024-25: Major threats for India in batting as well as bowling department from current Australia squad. Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins and Lyon only quartet to have 250+ wickets in Test.
After a shocking display against the Black Caps at home, the bruised India side will now take on the all-mighty Australia down under in the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) starting on November 22. What should have been an effortless stroll in the park turned out to be a dire nightmare for the Rohit Sharma-led India side as India succumbed to a horrendous 0-3 whitewash for the first time in a home Test series.
The New Zealand series highlighted how vulnerable India’s batting has become in recent times, especially under testing conditions. The likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill were all at sea when they faced spin. The big guns failed to fire in that series, and with the World Test Championship (WTC) final qualification now at stake, fresh concerns are being raised about how India will cope against a potent Aussie bowling attack that is armed all the way to the teeth.
On one end of the spectrum, Australia have some of the best pacers in world cricket in the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland who can dismantle any formidable batting lineup on their day. And on the other side, they are armed with world-class batters like Travis Head, Steve Smith, and Josh Inglis all of whom have given India some sleepless nights in the recent ICC outings.
In this article, we will attempt to decipher how much of a threat Australia counterparts will pose to India and what measures can be adopted to negate the imminent threat from their match-winning players in the upcoming BGT tour.
Biggest threats for India in the pace department
Bowler | Matches | Wickets | BBF | Average | Strike Rate |
Pat Cummins | 8 | 35 | 9-99 | 23.14 | 52.6 |
Josh Hazlewood | 11 | 42 | 7-142 | 25.69 | 60.3 |
Mitchell Starc | 11 | 35 | 5-103 | 34.82 | 64.4 |
Scott Boland | 2 | 5 | 5-105 | 27.80 | 63.6 |
The Australia skipper, Pat Cummins, is by far the biggest threat India has to contend with, not only with the ball but also with the bat. The star all-rounder is the second-highest wicket-taker as a pace bowler for Australia at home against India and has the best average (23.14) amongst the current generation of Aussie pacers. His memorable spell of 9-99 on a lifeless MCG track, followed by a valiant contribution of 63 in the final innings, helped Australia salvage a draw in the third Test of the 2018-19 BGT series.
Josh Hazlewood is the highest wicket-taker against India after Brett Lee at home with 42 wickets to his name. The tall right-arm quick is a hostile hit-the-deck bowler and is likely to cause a lot of problems to the India batters on bouncy Perth and Sydney pitches. His destructive five-fer (5-8) played a key role in India’s demolition in the second innings during the infamous 36 all-out Test match.
Mitchell Starc is the fourth most successful pacer for Australia against India at home. Despite enduring a poor run in the previous edition of the BGT series, Strac has still managed to amass 35 wickets at a formidable average of 34.82. His figures of 4/53 are his best figures registered against India in the longest format at home. He managed to achieve this remarkable feat during the infamous 36 all-out Test match.
Boland is still in his early days when it comes to playing Test cricket in India. In his three Test appearances against India, Boland has had a lasting impact. A handful of fans have fond memories of his exploits in the recent WTC Final last year where he managed to bag his best figures of 3-46 against India in the second innings to drive Australia to their maiden WTC title.
Biggest threats for India in the batting department
Batter | Matches | Runs | Average | HS | 50s/100s |
Steve Smith | 8 | 1082 | 82.23 | 192 | 1/4 |
Travis Head | 10 | 715 | 42.05 | 163 | 3/1 |
Steve Smith has been the chief destroyer with the bat against India in recent Test series outings. The Aussie run machine is the second-highest run-getter against India at home trailing just behind the legendary Ricky Ponting. He is at his destructive best when he bats against the Blues at home and has maintained an astonishing average of 83.23. Besides, Smith also has an exceptional track record in the BGT and averages over 50 in India which includes his best score of 178*.
Travis Head is yet another fiery character India will have to deal with in their upcoming BGT tour. Despite having the likes of Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj in the ranks, Head has made batting look very easy against them, be it the WTC final or the ODI World Cup final. The 30-year-old has the best Test scores of 90 and 72 in India and Australia, respectively. But his breathtaking ton in the 2023 WTC final just shows how Head can rise up on the biggest of occasions.
Australia Squad for Perth Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc
Read More: Australia's second opener conundrum yet unresolved; Who will open along with Usman Khawaja in BGT?
Nathan Lyon, the lone spin wolf of Australia
As India’s batting department comes under severe scrutiny following the advent of the New Zealand series, Nathan Lyon will surely be the bowler who will enjoy the prospect of bowling to India’s batting lineup, which has been severely weakened by spin. The crafty off-spinner is at the top of the three when it comes to picking up wickets against India in home Tests.
He has been the highest wicket-taker with the ball for the Aussies and has snapped 60 wickets in 15 matches at a remarkable average of 37.11. But in India where the conditions are a lot more ideal for spin bowling, his figures are a lot better. His average in India drops all the way down to 27.35 while he still continues to remain the highest wicket-taker for Australia against India in India.
Lyon has delivered a countless number of match-winning spells for Australia against India in both home and away conditions. He would be expected to act as a thorn for Rohit’s men. Some of his famous exploits include his 8-64 in India's second innings of the third Test of the previous edition of the BGT and his magical five-wicket haul against the Blues in the ICC World Test Championship Final 2023.
India have registered inspiring wins in the prior editions of the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia under two different captains. The maiden series win came in 2018-19, under Kohli’s captaincy and the second one came under Rahane’s captaincy in 2021-22. But a shocking series whitewash at home against the Kiwis has made the third consecutive BGT win a highly improbable outcome.
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