As the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy draws near, Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins has revealed his belief that the matchup between India and Australia will be fiercely competitive and evenly balanced. In an exclusive interaction with Star Sports, Cummins expressed his enthusiasm, stating that the series always feels like a “50-50” battle.
“The most recent Test match was, of course, the World Test Championship in neutral conditions, and we came out on top in that match. It’s always fiercely competitive, and it always feels like it’s 50-50. I’m 10 out of 10 excited for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” Cummins shared.
Reflecting on Australia’s previous outings against India, Cummins acknowledged the team’s struggles but remained hopeful of reclaiming success this time around. “The last two series here in Australia, we haven’t been successful, so it’s been a long time. Hopefully, it’s time to make amends. You know, we’ve played them plenty of times where they’ve beaten us, but we’ve also had plenty of wins against them as well, which we’ll draw confidence from,” he added.
India currently hold the coveted trophy, having triumphed in the last home and away series. Australia’s last victory in the series dates back to 2014-15. The two cricketing giants will once again lock horns, aiming for supremacy in one of the sport’s most fiercely contested rivalries.
Australia’s star batsman, Steve Smith, also shared his thoughts on the upcoming series. “It’s going to be a great series. You know, India have been playing outstanding cricket. We’ve been playing really good cricket the last couple of years. You know, we haven’t beaten India in the last two times they’ve come out here.
. Obviously, got a terrific side, very well-balanced team, all bases covered,” Smith remarked.
Smith acknowledged India’s formidable record both at home and away, highlighting their difficulty as opponents. “They’ve played really good cricket out here. They’ve played good cricket when we’ve been over in India as well, where we know they’re very, very difficult to beat. So it’s going to be a big summer. It’s going to be an exciting one. And yeah, I’m looking forward to it,” Smith said.
Adding to the anticipation, Mitchell Starc drew comparisons between the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the Ashes, emphasizing the significance of the former. “For Australian cricket, you’ve got the Ashes and then you’ve got the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in there. I mean, there’s a long history in the Ashes but that Border-Gavaskar rivalry, if you like, has just grown from strength to strength over each series and now we see it as a five Test match series which is fantastic for not only the rivalry but for the series as well,” Starc noted.
Starc pointed out the evolution of the rivalry and its impact on the cricketing world. “Whether it’s the calibre of player, the calibre of matches that we see as fans and as cricketers just continues to grow strength on strength each series and now India obviously winning a number of series in a row, it’s created an even bigger rivalry between the two countries. I mean both teams are well known to one another, we play each other very often across the formats so I’m sure it’ll be another exciting series but one I think that both experienced sides will showcase some fantastic cricket,” he elaborated.
The five-Test series will begin in Perth on November 22, setting the stage for a thrilling contest between the two cricketing powerhouses. The series is scheduled to conclude at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) from January 3 to 7, with matches in between in Adelaide (the pink-ball Test from December 6), at the Gabba (from December 14), and the traditional Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Cricket enthusiasts and followers from around the world eagerly await the commencement of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as Australia and India prepare to battle it out for supremacy. With both teams boasting experienced players and a rich history of fierce competition, the series promises to deliver memorable moments and exhilarating cricketing action.