The highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy is set to ignite a fierce rivalry between Australia and India, with the first Test commencing on November 22 in Perth. Australia, looking to end a decade-long drought against India, acknowledges the formidable threat posed by India’s fast bowling attack, a key factor in their dominance on Australian soil.
Australia’s star batsman, Marnus Labuschagne, highlighted the impact of India’s fast bowling depth in an interview with Star Sports. “India’s fast bowling is very good, which really brings them into Australian conditions and makes them such a tough team to beat here,” he said. The rivalry between the two teams is deeply ingrained, with every encounter characterized by intense competition. “There is always high anticipation. No matter where we’re playing—whether it’s England, Australia, or India—it’s always a tough contest,” Labuschagne added.
India has emerged victorious in every bilateral Test series against Australia since their 1-2 defeat in the 2014-15 series. They secured back-to-back 2-1 victories in 2018-19 and 2020-21 on Australian soil, showcasing their dominance in recent years.
Australian spinner Nathan Lyon recognizes India’s depth and the prowess of star players, particularly mentioning Ravichandran Ashwin. “It’s been an absolute privilege to play against him and learn off him,” Lyon said, calling Ashwin a “master in the craft of off-spin bowling.” He expressed his excitement to renew their on-field rivalry.
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green sees the upcoming five-Test series as a potential precursor to the World Test Championship (WTC) final, scheduled for Lord’s next June. India currently leads the WTC standings for the 2023-25 cycle with 68.52 percentage points, followed by Australia at 62.50 percentage points.
“Every single point is pretty crucial for the World Test Championship,” Green remarked. “If this series turns out to be a preview for the WTC final, we’ll be trying to gather as much information about India and see how we can win it again.” India, having participated in both WTC finals since the championship’s inception, is aiming to secure its first victory after losing to New Zealand in 2021 and Australia in 2023.
