Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25: Can Team India bounce back after a series defeat against New Zealand? What are the focus areas for Team India?
Team India, led by Rohit Sharma, will embark on what is expected to be a grueling five-match Test series against Australia. The first Test commences on November 22 at the Optus Stadium in Perth, with India as the holders of the prestigious Border-Gavaskar trophy (BGT).
Though India won every single BGT series since their 0-2 loss in the 2014/15 tour, including two 2-1 wins in their last two tours down under, this will be the Men in Blue’s biggest challenge in recent years.
It is not just because Australia is the No.1 Test side and reigning WTC champions, but the fact that India is coming from an all-time low home Test season. It is barely a week since they faced their first-ever Test series whitewash at home (3 or more Tests in a series) and first home series in 12 years against New Zealand.
So, despite having some of the finest talents in their arsenal, India will not be a confident bunch going to the series.
But as they say, cricket is a funny game, and anything can happen on a given day. India need to go into the BGT series without any baggage and leave the disappointing series at home behind them.
So what do India need to do right on the field that would help them fight the ghost of their past and bounce back in the BGT?
Team India Batters need to step up
Well, the first and foremost thing is that the batters should take responsibility and bat for a long time. They seemed like a group unable to occupy the crease for a considerable period. Barring a few instances in the last two home series, we rarely saw an India batter playing a complete session.
We saw a lot of monumental batting collapses including the Bengaluru Test where they got bowled out for 46 in the first innings and let the game from a winning situation slip in the second.
In the following two Tests, India’s batting line-up, even the most experienced ones like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, tamely succumbed to the New Zealand bowlers. In short, that series debacle gave India batters a harsh reality check about their batting, especially against spinners.
Yes, the conditions will be different in Australia, but the approach to batting in Test cricket should remain the same. India batters, especially the senior players need to put a value on their wickets and play responsibly.
The likes of Kohli and Rohit, who have not been amongst runs recently, will enjoy the Australian surfaces that suit their style of play. After all, Kohli is the second-highest run-getter (1352) for India in Australia after Sachin Tendulkar and the highest among current crop of players. So, it is time for India batters to bring out their “A” game.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir didn't seem too bothered about the form of their senior batters Rohit and Virat in the presser ahead of India’s departure to Perth. He said, “I have no concerns over Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's form. The hunger in that dressing room is important and there is a lot of it.”
Bowlers need to hunt in packs
One of the major reasons why India was able to conquer Australia in their last two Test series visits was their bowling. With the batting not instilling the kind of confidence that it should, the onus falls on the pacers to shine on this trip to Australia.
With Mohammed Shami still recovering from injury, India will bank heavily on their pace-bowling stalwart Jasprit Bumrah to make inroads while hoping that the out-of-form Mohammed Siraj will quickly get back into rhythm.
The latter will return to the country where he had a stellar beginning to his Test career. But other than this duo, the pace attack looks inexperienced with the likes of Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Nitish Kumar Reddy in their ranks. Nevertheless, these bowlers should try to play a supporting foil to Bumrah or Siraj in whatever games they feature for India.
On the fast bowlers, Gambhir said “We have got the quality. We have got guys who can hit the deck like Prasidh and Harshit. All five guys have different skill sets. That makes our fast bowling attack very very potent,”
Gambhir also sounded positive on his team adapting to the pitches in Australia. He said “We don’t control the wickets they give. We have all the basis covered. Whatever they give, bouncy tracks, turning tracks and green wickets. We still have to go out there and play to our potential. If we do so we can defeat anyone on any wicket,”
Play positive brand of cricket
This new-age India team as we know likes to challenge themselves and have proven in the past that they can come back stronger. The case in this example is their previous tour to Australia where India came from a humbling loss in the first Test at Adelaide, battling injury woes to finally win the series 2-1.
Even Australia’s pacer Josh Hazlewood highlighted India’s potency to come back when they are down and out. Speaking to Sydney Morning Herald, Hazlewood said “It might awaken a sleeping giant, so to speak. We’ll see that when they come out," on India’s 3-0 loss at home.
So, Team India should back themselves to turn things around and forget what happened in the last couple of weeks. They need to go with an open mindset and think positively from the outset, taking one game or a session at a time.
The same was echoed by head coach, Gautam Gambhir, in the press conference ahead of the team's departure to Perth. He also mentioned pacer Jasprit Bumrah will lead India in Perth Test, if Rohit Sharma misses out.
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