NEW DELHI: Steve Waugh , a former Australian captain, believes that the performances of Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah will be crucial for India's success in the upcoming five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia .
The 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy will feature five matches between India and Australia, taking place in Perth, Adelaide (pink-ball game), Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. The series opener is scheduled for November 22 in Perth.
"It'll be a good series with two very good teams, equally matched. India has a good chance to win in Australia because they have a very strong bowling attack. With Bumrah, Siraj, and Shami, they have an excellent pace attack, and they also have many good spinners, such as Jadeja, Ashwin, and Kuldeep but the key will be Jasprit Bumrah's performance with the ball and Virat Kohli's performance with the bat. Bumrah is an excellent bowler, the more he takes wickets, the higher the chances of India winning the series gets high," Waugh told IANS.
"We have seen Virat's performance in away conditions. The Indian batting depends on him, so he will be at the helm. However, Australia has a very good team as well, with a strong bowling attack. So, with two high-quality teams, I expect it to be an excellent series," he added.
India have been dominant in recent Border-Gavaskar contests, winning the last four encounters, including two historic series victories on Australian soil in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
This has shifted the balance of power in the rivalry, with India now holding 10 series wins compared to Australia's five. Australia's last series triumph was in 2014-15, and their last victory in India dates back to 2004-05.
The upcoming series will span from November 22 to January 7, 2025, and will be played at iconic Australian venues. After the opening Test in Perth, the teams will move to Adelaide Oval for the second Test from December 6 to 10, which will be the only day-night Test of the series.
The third Test will be held at the Gabba in Brisbane from December 14 to 18, followed by the highly anticipated Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26 to 30. The series will conclude with the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7.
The 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy will feature five matches between India and Australia, taking place in Perth, Adelaide (pink-ball game), Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. The series opener is scheduled for November 22 in Perth.
"It'll be a good series with two very good teams, equally matched. India has a good chance to win in Australia because they have a very strong bowling attack. With Bumrah, Siraj, and Shami, they have an excellent pace attack, and they also have many good spinners, such as Jadeja, Ashwin, and Kuldeep but the key will be Jasprit Bumrah's performance with the ball and Virat Kohli's performance with the bat. Bumrah is an excellent bowler, the more he takes wickets, the higher the chances of India winning the series gets high," Waugh told IANS.
"We have seen Virat's performance in away conditions. The Indian batting depends on him, so he will be at the helm. However, Australia has a very good team as well, with a strong bowling attack. So, with two high-quality teams, I expect it to be an excellent series," he added.
India have been dominant in recent Border-Gavaskar contests, winning the last four encounters, including two historic series victories on Australian soil in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
This has shifted the balance of power in the rivalry, with India now holding 10 series wins compared to Australia's five. Australia's last series triumph was in 2014-15, and their last victory in India dates back to 2004-05.
The upcoming series will span from November 22 to January 7, 2025, and will be played at iconic Australian venues. After the opening Test in Perth, the teams will move to Adelaide Oval for the second Test from December 6 to 10, which will be the only day-night Test of the series.
The third Test will be held at the Gabba in Brisbane from December 14 to 18, followed by the highly anticipated Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26 to 30. The series will conclude with the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7.
