Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, AUS vs IND Tests: Virat Kohli averages 83 against Mitchell Starc in Australia. Top match-ups to look forward to on India tour of Australia.
India will face Australia for the opening Test of the five-match series at the Optus Stadium, Perth, from November 22. The touring side is coming on the back of a 0-3 clean sweep at home against New Zealand. They will need to win four games in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 without conceding a defeat. Only that will confirm their ticket to Lord’s for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final.
In 107 Tests between the two sides, India have come on top in 32 occasions, losing 45 fixtures. Nine of those victories have come in Australia. They have also won the last two successive red-ball series down under, besides retaining the BGT for nearly a decade.
Key match-ups to look forward to in BGT 2024-25
Virat Kohli vs Australia bowlers
The former India captain, Virat Kohli, has enjoyed batting in these quick and bouncy conditions with 1352 Test runs in 25 innings. The average of over 54 with six centuries and four half-centuries will give confidence to the team management.
The veteran has nailed 236 Test runs against Mitchell Starc at an average of 59.9, besides getting dismissed four times. The average goes up to 83 in Australia.
Kohli, however, has been vulnerable against the Aussie captain, Pat Cummins. The Delhi-born has collected just 96 Test runs in the battle at a fragile average of 19.2. The pacer has dismissed the 36-year-old five times in the format, four of which were in Australia.
Kohli has smacked Josh Hazlewood for 160 Test runs down under at an average of 80.
Overall, Nathan Lyon has dismissed the batter seven times in Tests, while going for 529 runs. Although in Australia, the numbers have gone south for the off-spinner. Lyon has struggled heavily against Kohli, who has belted 317 Test runs at an average of 105.7.
Rishabh Pant vs Australia bowlers
The new poster boy for India, Rishabh Pant, has been in tremendous touch in the five-day format. He has creamed 422 runs in the ongoing year at an average of 46.88, shouldering on three fifties and one century. All of these runs have come at a strike rate of over 86.
Pant has drilled Cummins for unbeaten 90 Test runs at a strike rate of 63.8. The left-handed batter has a strike rate close to 90 against Starc with 120 red-ball runs. An average of 60 keeps the batter ahead in the battle. The only bowler he has struggled from the Australia team is Hazlewood, perhaps for the latter’s consistent line and length. The wicket-keeper has been dismissed three times in the war, besides recording 96 Test runs. The strike rate is still close to 80, with the average dropping down to 32.
The 27-year-old has smacked 229 Test runs against Lyon at an average of 45.8. The Uttarakhand-born has got out five times to the off-spinner in the format.
Read More: Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Top 5 performances by India batters over the last 10 years in Australia
Steve Smith vs India bowlers
Every time India tour Australia, they have to find different game plans to tackle Steve Smith. The former captain has clubbed 2042 runs in just 37 Test innings against the Blue Brigade at an average of 65.87. This has been decorated with nine centuries and five fifties. He has been dismissed only once in Tests by Jasprit Bumrah, who has given away 52 runs.
Smith has been undone by Ravichandran Ashwin eight times in the longest format. The Sydney-born has cracked 434 runs at an average of 54.2. However, the average has fired up to 80.3 down under, while three of those eight dismissals have come in Australia.
The New South Wales batter has notched up 270 Test runs against Ravindra Jadeja, who has dismissed the batter eight times. The Gujarat-born is yet to earn the wicket of Smith down under in the red-ball format.
Ashwin vs Jadeja- race for lone spinner
One of the biggest headaches for the visiting management will be to choose one between their two veteran spinners. Either they can think of going with an extra bowler (Ashwin) or plan to strengthen their batting line-up with Jadeja. Whoever they pick, their first role will be to pick wickets.
Smith has an average of 103 with just two dismissals against the off-spinners in Australia since the start of 2022. In the same parameter, Marnus Labuschagne has scored at an average of around 75,7 in Tests down under. Only three dismissals have taken place for him in 303 deliveries.
The Queensland batter has yet to be dismissed in Tests against left-arm spinners at home since January 2022. In 52 deliveries, the right-handed batter has grabbed an unbeaten 39 Test runs. On the same perspective, Smith has grabbed 82 runs besides getting dismissed twice.
These just show that Ashwin is a little ahead in the race. He can surely begin the series in Perth and use the bounce off the surface wisely.
Bumrah and Siraj vs Travis Head
Jasprit Bumrah has dismissed Travis Head twice in Tests. The left-handed batter has an average of just 25 and a strike rate of 39.7 against India’s vice-captain. He has also got out two times against Mohammad Siraj in the red-ball format, carrying an average of just 34. Meanwhile, Alex Carey has punched the Hyderabad pacer for 45 Test runs at a strike rate of 86.5.
A series victory for Australia will almost them through to the WTC 2023-25 final. A draw of 2-2 will still keep them in contention for a place in the final ahead of their trip to Sri Lanka.
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